Final Fantasy 7 Remake

#1

A few comments from Nomura on FFVII:R

[quote]Nomura, who was a character designer on the 1997 original, is clearly excited about the prospect. “The talks about making this remake, internally it’s been mentioned on and off,” he told Eurogamer’s Aoife Wilson in the interview. "Sometimes we think we can do it, and then sometimes we think maybe we can’t. Considering some of the original staff, like Kitase, he’s acting as producer, and [Kazushige] Nojima, he’s doing the script - we’re all getting older! If we keep going like this, the thought occurred to us that we might have to pass this on to a younger generation, without the original developers taking part. It doesn’t seem like such a grand intention, but we wanted to do it with the original members."

So why has it taken 'til now for it to happen - especially as it comes relatively soon after Square Enix disappointed fans by setting up a reveal last December before announcing the PC port of the original was coming to PlayStation 4?

"When we announced the HD port, the PC port on the PS4, we weren’t sure when we wanted to announce the remake," Nomura said elsewhere in the interview. "The production was underway then, so there’s no real connection between the timing of the two FF7s coming to PS4. We’ve announced several different titles coming to the PlayStation 4 like World of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts 3."

The slow uptake of new consoles in Japan seems to be a concern, and Square Enix is making a concerted effort to make sure the PlayStation 4 is more attractive to the audience in its home country. "There’s more and more titles being introduced for the platform, and we’re hoping that announcing the remake of Final Fantasy 7, it’ll give a boost to people wanting to buy this current generation of console. If we announced the remake after all those titles have been sold, it wouldn’t have created such an impact, so that’s why we decided on this timing. We wanted to reassure players that PlayStation 4 is coming out with great titles including Final Fantasy 7. That’s why we decided to announce the remake."

How the new, slightly darker aesthetic sits with some of the crazier elements of the original game remains to be seen, but it seems there’ll be intact. Can’t wait to see the delicious sight of Cloud in a dress in glorious HD? “Please look forward to it,” said Nomura as the interview came to a close.[/quote]

HE KNEW

#2

I was saying that a long time ago, to make an FF7 remake so the PS4 appears more attractive to Japanese gamers. It would be a funny thing if the remake ended up making the PS4 very popular in Japan, as the original FF7 did for the PS1.

Can’t wait to see the delicious sight of Cloud in a dress in glorious HD? “Please look forward to it,” said Nomura as the interview came to a close.

:ok_hand:

#3

Yes. Even the Japanese are going bonkers.

#4

Hashimoto mentioned at the Square Enix press event that this has just begun development. I wouldn’t be surprised if it took years before we see gameplay footage.

#5

I think it’s more interesting that the OG game is coming to iOS.

#6

The Final Fantasy VII Remake announcement has come and gone, and our next update is coming in the winter. We don’t know what that update will include, but we at least know the game’s title might be announced.

Speaking with Dengeki Online, director Tetsuya Nomura suggested the remake will be more than just pretty graphics.

“We can’t talk about any further details, but it won’t be a simple remake,” Nomura said. “Even if we were only making the graphics prettier for a next-generation machine, I don’t think it would exceed the original version. If that were the case, the original International version will be available on PlayStation 4, so you could just play that and be done.

“We haven’t put out any screenshots yet, but we’re making considerable progress, so please look forward to it. This time we are formally introducing Nojima as the scenario writer. That being the case, he will be influencing the setup as far as the story, so you’ll have that to look forward to as well.

“Sometime during the winter, we’re planning to have a follow-up report. I believe we’re going to announce the official title, at least, but as for other details, we’re in the process of determining what we’re going to put out.”

Speaking with Famitsu, Nomura reiterated that simply recreating the game’s graphics is not something to be excited about. Rather, “If you’re doing a full remake, it must be made with a different approach that matches the times. Because it’s now, and precisely because this is a full remake, I want to see what kind of fun is possible.”

#7

http://i.minus.com/ir44kGhfDUV2y.jpg

At the end of the trailer, Cloud and Barret are going to Seventh Heaven, Tifa’s bar. In the background, you can see “eaven” on the sign. Someone caught that.

#8

More info divulged by Nomura.

Regarding the teaser trailer

Nomura: “We’re using part of that video in the game. We’re going to raise the quality even more.”

Regarding the choice of hardware

“You’ll be able to play it first on PlayStation 4, that’s for certain. We’re not thinking beyond that yet, so after that is undecided. Since we’re bringing out PlayStation 4 title after PlayStation 4 title, it’d be great if we can give the hardware and industry a boost.”

It’s not just an HD-ification, right?

“Final Fantasy VII is special, and we can’t ‘exceed’ the game by simply making the graphics nicer. That’s not a thing to be excited about.

“Precisely because it’s a full remake, I want to challenge what’s fun and what’s possible now.”

Will the scenario change or new characters appear?

“There won’t be new characters. As for the visual taste, we’re doing them to match today’s visuals and appear closer to reality.”

Regarding the game system

“I can’t share details, but we’re changing it to a more realistic system.”

There may not be new characters, but will Zack, Angeal, and Genesis make appearances of some capacity in the game?

#9

The world will be a better place if the story of Crisis Core is forgotten.

#10

I liked the game, and its story, except for the way it ended, with Zack fending off 50 Shinra soldiers on his own until they turned him into Swiss cheese by shooting bullet holes through him. Talk about glorification. The original FFVII showed that scene of a couple soldiers shooting at Zack and killing him.

#11

Yeah, that scene was good. The overall story with Genesis was awful.

#12

If combat becomes real time I’ll break something.

#13

I’m fine with any innovation as long as it’s fun.

#14

If they do include Zack and Angeal in the remake, it would obviously be as flashbacks, since Zack and Angeal were dead when the events of FFVII started.

He didn’t die in Crisis Core. Shinra took him away by helicopter. In Dirge of Cerberus (which takes place after Advent Children), there’s a secret ending showing Genesis alive and well.

In the context of the events of the original FFVII, I don’t know what they would do with him. Perhaps he could be shown in a sedated state in the Shinra headquarters. It would be interesting that while Cloud, Barret, and Tifa are infiltrating Shinra to save Aeris, you come across Genesis in a test tube or something. Some of the people in SOLDIER were experimented on by being given Genesis’s cells, since Genesis was a part of the Jenova Project and given Jenova’s cells.

I’m thinking it’s going to be a hybrid of the ATB system and action RPG.

#15

I don’t think this was posted on the forum.

“Fine! Let’s have a coin toss! Winner doesn’t have to be the director!”

In an interview with Weekly Famitsu, remake director Tetsuya Nomura stated, “Actually, quite a while ago, I tried to start up the project [to remake FFVII], but at the time it didn’t come to fruition.”

According to Nomura, it was Square Enix Exec Shinji Hashimoto who approached Nomura and the original FFVII director Yoshinori Kitase about the new project. “Mr. Hashimoto was involved with the advertising and marketing of the original, so like [Mr. Kitase and myself], VII has a strong place in his heart.” Nomura explained.

Nomura is currently helming Kingdom Hearts III, so it’s surprising that he would take the reins of another high-profile project when the one he’s still developing as of yet has no release date. It turns out Nomura himself was surprised by the fact that he was directing the FFVII remake.

“As preproduction went along and I offered my opinions on what I thought should be done, Mr. Kitase would asked me how the individual elements should be adjusted in fine detail.” Nomura recalled. “It was very perplexing. Then one day, as I was checking the internal company presentation video it said ‘Director Tetsuya Nomura’ at the end.”

Apparently this was news to Nomura who had assumed that Kitase would be reclaiming the director’s chair for the remake of his game. “So I called up Mr. Kitase and said, ‘It says that I’m the director for some reason.’ To which he replied, ‘Of course it does.’” Nomura said with a nervous laugh.

The “’I thought you were going to direct!’ ‘Well I thought YOU were going to direct!’” episode was something that happened in the initial stages of the project’s inception and Nomura has stated that he is presently well aware of and well into his position as director.

#16

Final Fantasy VII Remake won’t use Square Enix’s Luminous Engine, Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata confirmed during a Gamescom interview.

Unreal it is then. Good.

#17

“It’s not good enough to be… Luninious…anated!!!”

Heh. This game.

#18

Famitsu this week features an interview with Yoshinori Kitase, who is producing the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake for PlayStation 4.

“We’re starting to see the visual direction,” Kitase said of the remake. “On the other hand, we’re currently working out the battle system and such through trial-and-error.”

“Since there’s a possibility that the command battle system of the old days might not work today, we’re thinking hard about what kind of direction we can take it.

“Normally, when you do a remake, it becomes somewhere along the lines of a familiar action RPG, so we’re looking at how we can put out something like Final Fantasy VII while still surprising players.

“Please don’t ask about how far into development we are and such. (Laughs.)”

Kitase is full of shit. The “command battle system of the old days might not work today”? Has he not heard about Dragon Quest 11? Persona 5? Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness? Those all will have a turn-based battle system in some form. It isn’t necessary for all JRPGs to be action RPGs. There are still many people that enjoy level grinding their party.

#19

…it’s gonna be Dark Souls. You watch.

#20