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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Did the Xbox 360 indirectly damage the Final Fantasy brand?

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darkknightkryta on 09 March 2012
TruckOSaurus said:
darkknightkryta said:
TruckOSaurus said:
They way I remember it, Final Fantasy XIII development was pretty far along when the announcement/decision to make it multiplatform came down (I even remember people whining because they said the game was going to be delayed because on the porting time) so I don't believe the 360 version had anything at all to do with how the game turned out.

Thing is the game wasn't far along at all.  When asked about the game's development they kept on saying "It's progressing slowly" for a good year and then *bam* Final Fantasy XIII trailer appeared at MS' E3 conference with a playable demo.  Like, the game was going to end up the way it did regardless, but I think when the decision was made to port the game to the 360 most work on the White Engine was probably scrapped and had to be rebuilt, which is what most of the delay was.  Plus the game had no direction until before Advent Children was released, like the game was made a year and a half before release, with 3.5 of those 5 years spent on the engine.

I highly doubt they decided everything that made FFXIII the game is it (for better and for worst) in the last year and a half of development. They had to know what they were aiming for well before that point so the combat system, the linearity, the lack of towns, the story, all this was already heading in a direction similar to what we got in the final product when they made the decision of porting the game.

You havn't read the interviews on gamasutra have you (Or wherever they were from)?  They had no idea the direction of the game was heading.  They were literally making art with no purpose, it wasn't until they had to make the demo for Advent Children bluray that the vision of the game started coming together.



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TruckOSaurus on 09 March 2012
darkknightkryta said:
TruckOSaurus said:
darkknightkryta said:
TruckOSaurus said:
They way I remember it, Final Fantasy XIII development was pretty far along when the announcement/decision to make it multiplatform came down (I even remember people whining because they said the game was going to be delayed because on the porting time) so I don't believe the 360 version had anything at all to do with how the game turned out.

Thing is the game wasn't far along at all.  When asked about the game's development they kept on saying "It's progressing slowly" for a good year and then *bam* Final Fantasy XIII trailer appeared at MS' E3 conference with a playable demo.  Like, the game was going to end up the way it did regardless, but I think when the decision was made to port the game to the 360 most work on the White Engine was probably scrapped and had to be rebuilt, which is what most of the delay was.  Plus the game had no direction until before Advent Children was released, like the game was made a year and a half before release, with 3.5 of those 5 years spent on the engine.

I highly doubt they decided everything that made FFXIII the game is it (for better and for worst) in the last year and a half of development. They had to know what they were aiming for well before that point so the combat system, the linearity, the lack of towns, the story, all this was already heading in a direction similar to what we got in the final product when they made the decision of porting the game.

You havn't read the interviews on gamasutra have you (Or wherever they were from)?  They had no idea the direction of the game was heading.  They were literally making art with no purpose, it wasn't until they had to make the demo for Advent Children bluray that the vision of the game started coming together.

It's no wonder the game turned out the way it did then.



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Sal.Paradise on 09 March 2012
darkknightkryta said:
TruckOSaurus said:
darkknightkryta said:
TruckOSaurus said:
They way I remember it, Final Fantasy XIII development was pretty far along when the announcement/decision to make it multiplatform came down (I even remember people whining because they said the game was going to be delayed because on the porting time) so I don't believe the 360 version had anything at all to do with how the game turned out.

Thing is the game wasn't far along at all.  When asked about the game's development they kept on saying "It's progressing slowly" for a good year and then *bam* Final Fantasy XIII trailer appeared at MS' E3 conference with a playable demo.  Like, the game was going to end up the way it did regardless, but I think when the decision was made to port the game to the 360 most work on the White Engine was probably scrapped and had to be rebuilt, which is what most of the delay was.  Plus the game had no direction until before Advent Children was released, like the game was made a year and a half before release, with 3.5 of those 5 years spent on the engine.

I highly doubt they decided everything that made FFXIII the game is it (for better and for worst) in the last year and a half of development. They had to know what they were aiming for well before that point so the combat system, the linearity, the lack of towns, the story, all this was already heading in a direction similar to what we got in the final product when they made the decision of porting the game.

You havn't read the interviews on gamasutra have you (Or wherever they were from)?  They had no idea the direction of the game was heading.  They were literally making art with no purpose, it wasn't until they had to make the demo for Advent Children bluray that the vision of the game started coming together.

I'm totally not surprised by this, the game seems schizophrenic. 



darkknightkryta on 09 March 2012
TruckOSaurus said:
darkknightkryta said:

You havn't read the interviews on gamasutra have you (Or wherever they were from)?  They had no idea the direction of the game was heading.  They were literally making art with no purpose, it wasn't until they had to make the demo for Advent Children bluray that the vision of the game started coming together.

It's no wonder the game turned out the way it did then.

Yeah, I really question what management was doing all the while.  But that's for another thread and it's been discussed enough in the forums.  As to relation to this thread, the 360 port was a problem, but it's all on Square's end.  It's like they all became retarted when they had to work on the 360 version, took them a year to port the engine over.



Superman4 on 09 March 2012
Liquiduval said:

Yes and no. Final Fantasy 13-2 has very little FMV which use to be one of the draw points for me but I'm guessing (this is only a guess and my opinion) that they moved away from them to reduce the amount of discs needed to play (can't remember off the top of my head how many FF13 had 4-5?? I do own it on both systems , don't ask me why) and the fact that they seemed abit washed out on the Xbox aswell.

Saying that I do believe they are trying to get the western market and I feel had the balance right in FF10 but they lost it there after.

The way games are designed now is different than when I was young. After buying MGS HD collection I was amazed how the games never really forced you down certain paths nor held your hand, sure once you go down the right way the story continues but I found myself lost in points  I only use this as a example as back at the original release I thought it felt quite linear and easy and the fact it wasn't released that far ago. Point is games are too easy and linear anyway so it that term it's not xbox or ps fault

Another point is there is not that many secrets and or exploration in FF these days. FF world use to be open where you could explore any/most areas from early in the game (wether you could survive was another story) with tonnes of extras and although the stuff you found may not be exciting they was a since of maybe I collect a set of X it would give me Y etc (it makes sence in my head)

Still I am enjoying FF13-2 and enjoyed FF13 enough to platinum it. I think everyone should read the post about how Zelda isn't as good as it was (can't remember the actual name) but feel some of the points relates to all games these days


I bolded the part that for me is the reason MS negativly affected the FF series. It was another game that needed to be dumbed down to fit within the 360 specs. Not wanting the game to be on 4 or five DVDs made them tone it down and cut some generally very good FMV.



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Sal.Paradise on 09 March 2012
Superman4 said:
Liquiduval said:

Yes and no. Final Fantasy 13-2 has very little FMV which use to be one of the draw points for me but I'm guessing (this is only a guess and my opinion) that they moved away from them to reduce the amount of discs needed to play (can't remember off the top of my head how many FF13 had 4-5?? I do own it on both systems , don't ask me why) and the fact that they seemed abit washed out on the Xbox aswell.

Saying that I do believe they are trying to get the western market and I feel had the balance right in FF10 but they lost it there after.

The way games are designed now is different than when I was young. After buying MGS HD collection I was amazed how the games never really forced you down certain paths nor held your hand, sure once you go down the right way the story continues but I found myself lost in points  I only use this as a example as back at the original release I thought it felt quite linear and easy and the fact it wasn't released that far ago. Point is games are too easy and linear anyway so it that term it's not xbox or ps fault

Another point is there is not that many secrets and or exploration in FF these days. FF world use to be open where you could explore any/most areas from early in the game (wether you could survive was another story) with tonnes of extras and although the stuff you found may not be exciting they was a since of maybe I collect a set of X it would give me Y etc (it makes sence in my head)

Still I am enjoying FF13-2 and enjoyed FF13 enough to platinum it. I think everyone should read the post about how Zelda isn't as good as it was (can't remember the actual name) but feel some of the points relates to all games these days


I bolded the part that for me is the reason MS negativly affected the FF series. It was another game that needed to be dumbed down to fit within the 360 specs. Not wanting the game to be on 4 or five DVDs made them tone it down and cut some generally very good FMV.


Would the game being exclusive to PS3 have fixed its extreme linearity and 30 hour long introduction? Would those cut FMVs really have salvaged the story and made it a special Final Fantasy game?

The answers are no, and almost definitely no.



MARCUSDJACKSON on 09 March 2012
Michael-5 said:
MARCUSDJACKSON said:
Michael-5 said:
MARCUSDJACKSON said:
Michael-5 said:

Do you think Square Enix starting making poorer quality JRPG's because of the merge with Enix, or because the departing of Hironobu Sakkaguchi, and other staff a little before it? I think some PS2 JRPG's are still good, but this gen, outside of portables, the quality is good at best, nothing great.

P.S. I didn't even realize I quoted you, you just made a great realistic post which I wanted to comment on. (thanks that means allot)

well i'm not really qualified to answer that because i'm really not familiar with Square like that. 7 and 10 are the only 2 i know, but based on user feedback this gen., i'd go out is a limb and say it's mostly because of the merger, but talent goes without saying really.

if the current teams vision doesn't represent what made the franchise what it was, or what made it great then then it's the team, and from what i can tell, they lack a vision for the franchise, and for its future. 

Well at least this gives room for other newer Japanese developers to grow. Atlus recently has been making some quality games, and Platinum Games came out of nowhere.

agreed but you never answered your own question.

Vanquish 2 plz. 3ds and Vita will bring what made jrpg's special like the handhelds before them.

I don't think it's the merger as much as it was Hironobu leaving. Enix and other developer games since the merger have still been good (Dragon Quest VIII and IX were excellent from what I played/hear, and the remakes aren't bad, Drakengard by Cavia is excellent, etc). It's mostly Square's IP's that have suffered. The 3rd Birthday, all types of Final Fantasy, and most other old Square IP's are the games which have gone down the drain. Some are alright still, like Star Ocean, but it's not the same as it used to be, ad the new IP's from Square are nowhere near the levels Chrono Trigger and XenoGears were at.

Mistwalker (The studio Hironobu made in 2001) has made some pretty good titles. I would say Lost Osyssey is an excellent game, and I hear the Last Story is pretty good too. Not as good as his older games while working for square, but so far, better then the non Dragon Quest games Square Enix is responsible for lately.

i'm in total agreement.



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darkknightkryta on 09 March 2012
Superman4 said:
Liquiduval said:

Yes and no. Final Fantasy 13-2 has very little FMV which use to be one of the draw points for me but I'm guessing (this is only a guess and my opinion) that they moved away from them to reduce the amount of discs needed to play (can't remember off the top of my head how many FF13 had 4-5?? I do own it on both systems , don't ask me why) and the fact that they seemed abit washed out on the Xbox aswell.

Saying that I do believe they are trying to get the western market and I feel had the balance right in FF10 but they lost it there after.

The way games are designed now is different than when I was young. After buying MGS HD collection I was amazed how the games never really forced you down certain paths nor held your hand, sure once you go down the right way the story continues but I found myself lost in points  I only use this as a example as back at the original release I thought it felt quite linear and easy and the fact it wasn't released that far ago. Point is games are too easy and linear anyway so it that term it's not xbox or ps fault

Another point is there is not that many secrets and or exploration in FF these days. FF world use to be open where you could explore any/most areas from early in the game (wether you could survive was another story) with tonnes of extras and although the stuff you found may not be exciting they was a since of maybe I collect a set of X it would give me Y etc (it makes sence in my head)

Still I am enjoying FF13-2 and enjoyed FF13 enough to platinum it. I think everyone should read the post about how Zelda isn't as good as it was (can't remember the actual name) but feel some of the points relates to all games these days


I bolded the part that for me is the reason MS negativly affected the FF series. It was another game that needed to be dumbed down to fit within the 360 specs. Not wanting the game to be on 4 or five DVDs made them tone it down and cut some generally very good FMV.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 did have FMV sequences turned to in engine, but it's probably not as much as you think.  They did the same with Final Fantasy X-2, barely any CG, why?  Because it's not a full Final Fantasy game, summons and FMVs are for full games only, if I can grasp Square's crazy reasoning anyways.



lurkerwithnosoul on 09 March 2012

No. They have redeem themselves with XIII-2. They took the linearity away (that thing that Xbox was most accused of). The game stills average (well, depending in each one opinion).

I think that FF just went way over the head of Toriyama. He tried to do a lot, but failed to deliver the goods.



Dark_Lord_2008 on 12 March 2012

Final Fantasy is one of the most milked franchises of all time with all its countless spin offs and remakes being released, recycled and rehashed on consoles, portables and now smart phones.
Besides Final Fantasy VI, VII, IX and X the other games in the series have been average or poor in quality.