The latest info we got about this is kind of outdated now, at that time the game was being developed for the PS3. the director said the world would be seamless in exception for moving between major areas on the map.Now it is either that or completely seamless thanks to the new generation of consoles.

I like turn based just see it more suitable in a handheld enviorment rather than a console one. You can always pop in and back back out.

Cringe.. I hate the idea of open world personally.. especially since most of the "open world" is an empty shell. Sure I wouldnt want straight corridors either but a good balance would be the best as not to hurt the narrative's pacing.

In regards to the combat, I am pumped at the idea of it being an action rpg. Turn based is fine but action rpg is much more fun. Imagine the old final fantasies with an action  battle system. If they were made that way back in the day and they decided to make XV turn based, perhaps you guys wouldnt think the same way.

Is it really the turn based battle system that you love or is it the story/characters/setting/music of the games that coincidentally had the turn based battle system? I might be wrong, it's just a theory.

I miss cRPGs....

I wouldn't worry much, unlike most (all? ) open world RPGs, XV will be story driven. World map is actually a tradition in the franchise. think of it as a bonus.

I am sure that the experience as a whole will be stunning, many people would be surprised.

If done right turn based RPGs are very strategic. You have time to plan, look at your stats, plan when to use more powerful skills/magic, etc. I personally find the best turn based systems are all reaction based. In Final Fantasy X, casting cheer will boost your stats while giving you a very little turn penalty (You'll get another turn right after). On the flip side, summon Bahamut and have him cast Mega Flare will give your a turn penalty of 3-6 turns, make you think twice. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky has a very good combat system. Everything is reaction based like Final Fantasy X, and gives you a bit of extra options for special attacks.

Full total control over my party members. I die or live exclusively by my choices.

Were there games with turn-based battle system in the first gen of consoles?

I like turn-based combat. When it's done right, it's incredibly fun and strategic, like FFX, XIII and Grandia 3 (I consider these two turn-based, as well as FFXII. They ARE turn-based after all, not sure why a lot of people think of them differently). However, it's VERY easy to screw up and make a boring gameplay. Legaia 2 comes to mind.

Action rpgs can also be very boring, but I feel like it's not as easy to screw up as turn-based. And who's to say it's based solely on reflex and not strategy? Take Sephiroth from Kingdom Hearts 2 for example. Sure, reaction time is very important, but you also need some strategy.

Anyway, Final Fantasy has yet to disappoint me in the gameplay department. Quite the opposite actually, it just got better as it progressed. FFXIII has currently my favorite battle system on the series BY FAR, followed by FFX and XII. So I am really excited and optimistic about FFXV. Becoming an action rpg is part of a natural evolution on the series after all, it didn't happen out of nowhere.

On your first point, surely a FFXII style 'open world' is he right way to do it, you can wander between each area, go back and stuff, yet if you want fast travel with air ship, it's primarily the same as previous games just the idea of a 'world map' is missing.

On the second, the problem is we don't really know, especially when it comes to Final Fantasy as in the most powerful generation, we've only had 1 main game which didn't replicate the traditional ATB system many of us like. The closest example I could give is FFX-2. The story was not great, infact if you are certain type of person, playing this game in front of people is not done, character's are cheesy. However, it had a fantastic combat system, change between classes and traditional ATB with traditional classes too. If there is a good example, FFX-2 has it.