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[JeffZero]

Barebones OP because I'm exhausted. But a bunch of folks kept saying there should be a new thread for this info and I can't help but agree. Here's a picture of the FFVII cast to spruce things up a little bit. Be amazed at the quality of this post.

Quick stuff from interviews

-they made multi-release since they would have to cut stuff out if they made it in one game. The detail of the game will be so dense, and you will be able to go to various locations within Midgar that you couldn't go before.
-there will be some stuff that has to be cut, but there will be lots of stuff added. overall volume will be big
-They are working with various companies outside, including CC2
-The battle system is real-time, action feel. The degree of action will be "Dissidia > Kingdom Hearts> FF7 remake" It will be more tactical.
-Although it's action style, it has ATB as well.
-You can control other party members, but you can keep control one if you want
-3 party members at a time like the original

[...]

some stuff I didn't put in my first summary

-Character model is supervised by Visual Work's director.
-They don't want to go with 100% realism for the characters since it might make it hard to recognize certain characters. So they are going as real as possible, while keeping the character's personality.
-Advent Children model data is over 10 years old so they can't really use it.
-Everything from the trailer (excluding the stuff that was shown from E3 reveal) was real-time. The end scene where Cloud gets off the train, it transitions directly to the gameplay.
-Cloud looking sick is partly due to the lighting. Nojima likes that Cloud looks very sick.
-Cross-dressing is obviously in the game, but Nomura didn't design it yet.
-All the party member's design is renewed like Barret.
-At first they thought of going with AC design of Barret, but decided not to.
-ATB and Limit gauge is there but they are different from the original. ATB turning red is something important.
-Battle tempo will be similar to Dissidia. Battle is done by people who has experience in both Dissidia and Kingdom Hearts..

A rough translation of http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/173/1173362/

- About the details of splitting the game into episodes, please tell us more.

Kitase: From the beginning, we have considered it impossible to remake FF7 into one single game. Althought it's impossible to tell you the details about the splitting at the moment, please wait for our further announcement.

Nomura: If we tried to stuff the whole game into one release, some part of the game would have to appear as digests. We'd have to remove some contents from the game, and it would be difficult to add more to the game. Considering that a full remake of the original game must be achived, we have decided to split the game into episodes.

Kitase: Taking the No.8 street shown in the video this time, even just this is already highly dense. If we are to remake the content of the original version at that quality, it would have been impossible to do with a single release.

Splitting the original version into episode with nothing dropped, as well as adding complements, and remaking the game the game in its full volume is what we are thinking.

- How will the battle system look like?
Kitase: Unlike the encounter battles in the original version, we were aiming for a seamless active battle like shown in the video.

Nomura: Regarding the speed of the combat, as well as the sensation of tempo, we have considered something alongside Dissidia FF that you can play without stress. The degree of action would feel like Dissidia FF > KH > FF7 Remake.

We are trying to make a new action combat system that definitely demand no action technique, and let you consider your strategy during the combat.

- What would the elements in the battle system from the original version become?
Nomura: Since the game is based on FF7, elements like ATB gauge and limitbreak will appear but with new useage. Please wait for our further announcements on how they would evolve.

- Are you going to adjust the story in order to maintain connection to other compilations of the game, as well as adapting to the modern age?
Nomura: We are planning some mechanism to dig deeper into each episodes. Players who have played the original version surely would know everything from the beginning to the end of the game, including some very important moments. And we are planning to give even such users surprises.

Kitase: We are not going to remake a game so you only play for nostalgia. We want to make the hearts of the original fans pump. We are adjusting the storyline with this idea in mind.

http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/173/1173362/

My spin: it doesn't sound so bad. A worthy tradeoff, IMO. Everyone is welcome to their personal interpretations, of course, and those who still feel the sky is falling down have my sympathies.

Update:

They also confirmed Unreal Engine 4: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1152368

 

[True Fire]

This makes me feel a bit better about it being episodic. It's clear that they want to remake every nook and cranny of the game (and add their own original content) and there's no way they'd be able to have that much attention to detail if they developed the entire thing at once.

 

[Mushroomer25]

Sounds like a reasonable compromise to get the game made

A - In a reasonable time
B - In a form that makes financial sense for Square-Enix

Will they botch the execution? Remains to be seen. But so far, I see no reason to panic.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

-You can control other party members, but you can keep control one if you want

As I said in 2 other threads, I'm going to need clarification on this. Like if you'll be able to set it so there's minimal AI action for uncontrolled characters beyond basic attacks, and if it's actually optimal to do something like that.

On the other hand, this:

We are trying to make a new action combat system that definitely demand no action technique, and let you consider your strategy during the combat.

Has me less worried and makes me think the battle system is very much a WIP. Still incredibly skeptical though.

 

[Seven Force]

Sounds somewhat promising to me. I'm assuming the comments about the combat mean it'll have the flashiness of the KH & Dissidia games combined with the strategy one would expect from a mainline FF game. That could work, I guess. Resonance of Fate is a RPG that comes to mind that marries flashiness and strategy particularly well, so it is possible.

If anything, I'm a bit excited of the prospect of possibly playing a piece of this sooner than 2017.

 

[DangerMouse]

This makes me feel a bit better about it being episodic. It's clear that they want to remake every nook and cranny of the game (and add their own original content) and there's no way they'd be able to have that much attention to detail if they developed the entire thing at once.

Yup. I'm okay with this so far.

 

[Meffer]

How long will each part be?

 

[prwxv3]

If you want the full game wait until it's completely finished. There will be a disk that has the complete game.

 

[JeffZero]

How long will each part be?

We don't know yet, sadly. We're in the dark on specifics right now.

 

[RoboPlato]

The episodic thing initially is off putting, but it makes sense given how big of a project this is. I just hope that they have an appropriate business model for it.

 

[Muzy72]

If you want the full game wait until it's completely finished. There will be a disk that has the complete game.

I don't think so. Sounds like there's too much content too fit on one disc.

Reading this makes me cautiously optimistic about the episodic release. Hoping each episode is REALLY fleshed out.

 

[jim2point0]

I'm not going to do what the whole of the internet is doing right now and completely overreact to this.

Seems fine until I hear otherwise. If it means we get to play it a bit sooner, great. I'll wait for part 2.

 

[KZXcellent]

"Kitase: We are not going to remake a game so you only play for nostalgia."

Good.

 

[The Sum of Zero]

I'm not going to do what the whole of the internet is doing right now and completely overreact to this.

Seems fine until I hear otherwise. If it means we get to play it a bit sooner, great. I'll wait for part 2.

Same.

Ha, actually had someone unfriend me on Facebook for me calling them out on "acting like Square-Enix killed their firstborn child" with this news and the combat.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I don't think so. Sounds like there's too much content too fit on one disc.

Reading this makes me cautiously optimistic about the episodic release. Hoping each episode is REALLY fleshed out.

I doubt that there's anything that would prevent them from using multiple Blu-ray's if that's what's needed.

 

[Loudninja]

Some good stuff.

 

[JeffZero]

Added a bit more to the OP courtesy of raven777's continued excellent translations.

 

[crinale]

This sounds.. good? It does to me at least.

 

[Millsington]

I'm mostly curious why they would announce that it will be split without being able to share in detail how it affects the game. Keep it under wraps until they can be more specific so people don't assume the worst.

 

[Nanashrew]

This sounds a bit better. I'm okay with it.

 

[DieH@rd]

I support the move, if nothing else, because Square has trouble with long development cycles. Im tired of waiting.

FF7 is a big game, and this way they can deliver a great remake that is not compromised.

 

[Drayco21]

As long as they put out a retail disc when it's done, I'll be willing to wait. Still not a fan of going episodic, especially in how it impacts the episode-to-episode game design, but I'm willing to sit back and watch how it unfolds before I lose all my hype.

 

[raven777]

Hi I edited it out the typo (stuff like 100 years which was 10 years) so maybe can you reflect on the OP? Thanks

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=188230640&postcount=3249

 

[Elios83]

Good stuff. If we can play the first part in 2017 it will be great.
Still I think that world map and backtracking will be compromised, I'm not optimistic on this aspect.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I'm mostly curious why they would announce that it will be split without being able to share in detail how it affects the game. Keep it under wraps until they can be more specific so people don't assume the worst.

It's FF7, i'm sure they know that people aren't just going to write it off because of that news even if they're angry. What they're saying here makes it sound like each part is going to have a ton of content, so even if it's split you're still going to have plenty to play around with.

 

[JeffZero]

Hi I edited it out the typo (stuff like 100 years which was 10 years) so maybe can you reflect on the OP? Thanks

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=188230640&postcount=3249

Of course! Thank you!

 

[Seven Force]

Oh, so that gauge turning red in the combat footage was ATB. Neat.

Surprised that wasn't a mockup UI after all, too.

Well, I can go to sleep hopeful about the game again now.

 

[Joyful]

.edit nvm

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Yup, so like I said in the other topic, this is roughly what I expected, and I'm actually totally okay with this. They need to do whatever they can to assure this is done in a timely fashion without burning all the company's resources (on top of using Unreal and getting other devs to assist), and as long as it results in a great game that does justice to the original, I'm totally fine with it.

Couldn't they release it in multiple blu Ray like the original had 3 cds? Of course not then they will only have to charge you 60.

Part of the problem is they won't be able to get all the blu-rays done at the same time.

 

[Rainy]

Sounds better.

 

[Gunslinger]

Couldn't they release it in multiple blu Ray like the original had 3 cds? Of course not then they will only have to charge you 60.

 

[MayMay]

Yeah, I'm absolutely okay with that. Always have been. Bring it on!

I did not even know what the outrage was to begin with. Are people expecting 6 hour episodes? Hell no, I'm expecting multiple full-size releases.

 

[ffdgh]

Controlable party members is a relief.

 

[prwxv3]

Couldn't they release it in multiple blu Ray like the original had 3 cds? Of course not then they will only have to charge you 60.

There will probably be a complete edition once all of it is done.

 

[kogasu]

See guys, it's not so bad. It's ok to be a bit worried but wow people were really freaking out about something we didn't know a whole lot about. This sounds fine to me.

 

[injurai]

Couldn't they release it in multiple blu Ray like the original had 3 cds? Of course not then they will only have to charge you 60.

It's more that they are putting in work that will equate to multiple games worth of content. We don't know if they will all be $60 on release, maybe they will be $40. But I think the idea is that they are breaking it up more in relation to development, rather than disc space.

 

[CoolBatteryCharge]

"Cross-dressing is obviously in the game, but Nomura didn't design it yet."

That's all I needed to know. Day one.

 

[Joyful]

Controlable party members is a relief.
Goodbye honey bee inn lol.

*edits post within 5 seconds, still quoted*

fml

 

[GSG Flash]

Sounds pretty bad to me.

I was cautiously optimistic after the trailer yesterday, despite the battle system being changed for the worse(imo) but now I know I won't like this game at all after reading these interviews.

Glad some people are happy with it, but I'm officially out.

 

[Kagari]

The reactions in the other thread look so silly now.

 

[True Fire]

Controlable party members is a relief.

It's a huge dig towards Tabata's team TBH. If we can control Aerith or Tifa, why can't we control Gladio or Prompto?

 

[Kagari]

It's a huge dig towards Tabata's team TBH. If we can control Aerith or Tifa, why can't we control Gladio or Prompto?

Not only that but you can do party switching!

 

[chekhonte]

I was railing against the episodic release but I'm coming to terms with it. I'm really hoping that they just break it up like the discs were broken up but that doesn't really make much sense. There's so much on the first disc and almost nothing on the last but anything other than that will feel so unnatural.

 

[Andyliini]

I don't really care, episodic or not. I'm still a bit skeptical about the combat, but I will try the game when it comes out. How couldn't I, FF7 was the game that brought me into RPG's.

Besides, I'm quite sure there will be "complete package" released one day, even if it spawn multiple discs. I'll probably get that one, so I can play the whole thing at once.

 

[Se7enSword]

The reactions in the other thread look so silly now.

It always was. People should've waited for more info.

 

[213372bu]

Thanks for putting this up.

I knew this was the logic behind it, and that they would try to keep as much content as possible.

When people thought it was going to be a "best of FF7" linear experience with little gameplay in the meltdown thread I just stopped posting.

Glad to see we are going to get as much of a true remake as we can with FF7 while also adding in some stuff.

 

[ULTROS!]

i already posted a thread about this

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1152065

though yours is more complete.

 

[kayos90]

It's a huge dig towards Tabata's team TBH. If we can control Aerith or Tifa, why can't we control Gladio or Prompto?

Probably because they actually want to get the game out the door ASAP and develop Noctis to be super complex. Idk.

 

[KZXcellent]

The reactions in the other thread look so silly now.

It was kind of fun to watch the house burn down at least.

 

[Loudninja]

i already posted a thread about this

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1152065

He beat you to it