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[Famassu]

I really don't understand peole getting so riled up about this particular game taking ~6 years to be released after its announcement. I mean, when it was announced Nomura SAID not to expect it in a long time since they hadn't even begun development (at all) then and wouldn't for some time. It's not like it's the only game ever to take this long from initial announcement to release (Red Dead Redemption took at least 5 years, Max Payne 3 has taken, like, 8 years already, Last Guardian is going to take 6,5, LA Noire was announced way back in 2004, so it took 7 years). They are developing the game with the mentality that they are experimenting with a lot of shit ("hey, what about dog-fights? they could be cool." -> "sure, let's try that, see if they are any fun") instead of being all "no, we can't do any of that due to time/budget constraints", like too many games nowadays.

So there's been 3 Uncharteds between the time this was announced and this release. So what? All three of those games combined will probably amount to, like, 1/2 to how long a game Versus will be. Making sequels to a straight-forward 6-7 hour game that are also 6-7 hours long doesn't take as long as a massive, ambitious & (somewhat) free RPG? NEWS AT 11! Sure, they are technically impressive, but they aren't that "big" when it comes to gameplay, just entertaining pipe-shooters.

I mean, there are 2 hour movies that sometimes take as long (i.e. Tree of Life), why can't a (probably at least) 40 hour game take that long? Especially with all the ambitious stuff they are seemingly trying to do with the game. (note: not trying to compare Versus's quality to Tree of Life's, especially when it comes to the story of the game, just that they are both ambitious projects in their own way that take a long time to realize)

Then maybe they should not have announced the game 4+ years before the concept was even barely workable, let alone try to string up the fanbase by showing new trailers and new lengthy "gameplay" trailers before the game had even gone past the full production phase.

It didn't take over 4 years to be barely workable. Stop with the fucking hyperbole. :|

 

[Dante]

Fucking.Laughable.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

It's a shame to hear the pre-production thing considering Square seems to emphasize that they are fixing their development schedule. Was this one so in the hole that it couldn't possibly be put into that plan or what.

 

[Seda]

This doesn't surprise me.

 

[KyteTron]

I really don't understand peole getting so riled up about this particular game taking ~6 years to be released after its announcement. I mean, when it was announced Nomura SAID not to expect it in a long time since they hadn't even begun development (at all) then and wouldn't for some time. It's not like it's the only game ever to take this long from initial announcement to release (Red Dead Redemption took at least 5 years, Max Payne 3 has taken, like, 8 years already, Last Guardian is going to take 6,5, LA Noire was announced way back in 2004, so it took 7 years). They are developing the game with the mentality that they are experimenting with a lot of shit ("hey, what about dog-fights? they could be cool." -> "sure, let's try that, see if they are any fun") instead of being all "no, we can't do any of that due to time/budget constraints", like too many games nowadays.

So there's been 3 Uncharteds between the time this was announced and this release. So what? All three of those games combined will probably amount to, like, 1/2 to how long a game Versus will be. Making sequels to a straight-forward 6-7 hour game that are also 6-7 hours long doesn't take as long as a massive, ambitious & (somewhat) free RPG? NEWS AT 11! Sure, they are technically impressive, but they aren't that "big" when it comes to gameplay, just entertaining pipe-shooters.

I mean, there are 2 hour movies that sometimes take as long (i.e. Tree of Life), why can't a (probably at least) 40 hour game take that long? Especially with all the ambitious stuff they are seemingly trying to do with the game. (note: not trying to compare Versus's quality to Tree of Life's, especially when it comes to the story of the game, just that they are both ambitious projects in their own way that take a long time to realize)


It didn't take over 4 years to be barely workable. Stop with the fucking hyperbole. :|

I don't understand why you would even announce a game in 2006 and still in pre-production in the first place?

 

[Londa]

This game better be 200 hours long. SMH!!!!!

 

[MechaX]

It didn't take over 4 years to be barely workable. Stop with the fucking hyperbole. :|

If the game is still not out of the pre-production phase even at this point (which is a major difference between Versus and the other titles you listed), then yeah, it did take over four years for the game to reach a barely workable point where the team seemingly still doesn't really know what it wants to do exactly.

 

[ChocolateCupcakes]

I really don't understand peole getting so riled up about this particular game taking ~6 years to be released after its announcement. I mean, when it was announced Nomura SAID not to expect it in a long time since they hadn't even begun development (at all) then and wouldn't for some time. It's not like it's the only game ever to take this long from initial announcement to release (Red Dead Redemption took at least 5 years, Max Payne 3 has taken, like, 8 years already, Last Guardian is going to take 6,5, LA Noire was announced way back in 2004, so it took 7 years). They are developing the game with the mentality that they are experimenting with a lot of shit ("hey, what about dog-fights? they could be cool." -> "sure, let's try that, see if they are any fun") instead of being all "no, we can't do any of that due to time/budget constraints", like too many games nowadays.

So there's been 3 Uncharteds between the time this was announced and this release. So what? All three of those games combined will probably amount to, like, 1/2 to how long a game Versus will be. Making sequels to a straight-forward 6-7 hour game that are also 6-7 hours long doesn't take as long as a massive, ambitious & (somewhat) free RPG? NEWS AT 11! Sure, they are technically impressive, but they aren't that "big" when it comes to gameplay, just entertaining pipe-shooters.

I mean, there are 2 hour movies that sometimes take as long (i.e. Tree of Life), why can't a (probably at least) 40 hour game take that long? Especially with all the ambitious stuff they are seemingly trying to do with the game. (note: not trying to compare Versus's quality to Tree of Life's, especially when it comes to the story of the game, just that they are both ambitious projects in their own way that take a long time to realize)


It didn't take over 4 years to be barely workable. Stop with the fucking hyperbole. :|

Then please explain how announcing a game early is actually a good marketing choice?

And comparing a Japanese RPG to a Western shooter? It makes no sense. I could turn around and say that FF13-2 is coming out soon.

 

[Kagari]

 

[Toth]

FF11 on Vita? lol that's the most random thing...

Prepare for 6 hour portable dune parties folks.

Sorry to pull this guy out but long parties are really no longer a core part of ff11. You can solo levels easily with Field/ Grounds of Valors books, which give you a lot of exp for killing a specific number of mobs. You can now solo any job to max in a decent time with this. And of course there is Abyssea exp XD

 

[airmangataosenai]

I don't understand why you would even announce a game in 2006 and still in pre-production in the first place?

Because it was the system launch conference? There's no event they could've announced it at that would've received comparable worldwide coverage, it was a business decision that had nothing to do with the developers nor where the game was in development. Same thing happened with Crisis Core.

As a matter of fact, can someone pull up some old Crisis Core threads? I wonder if the whining was as bad back then.

 

[Sendaquill]

All I have to say is "Wow."

 

[Korigama]

Moving on to a general development update, Nomura siad that because they're trying out a lot of new challenges, the development staff is still focused on the core members. However, they're making preparations to enter full production.

Really...there are no words for this level of mismanagement.

 

[jk-mox]

This is one thing I love about Nintendo's typical secrecy. When they announce a game, more often than not, it's coming out within 6 months. There are exceptions, obviously, but I definitely can't think of them announcing anything years and years ahead of release. Maybe ignorance really is bliss.

 

[Londa]

smh, how can you get paid to work on a game that is in pre production for 4-5 years? Enough of the KH portables...

 

[Acheron]

So there's been 3 Uncharteds between the time this was announced and this release. So what? All three of those games combined will probably amount to, like, 1/2 to how long a game Versus will be. Making sequels to a straight-forward 6-7 hour game that are also 6-7 hours long doesn't take as long as a massive, ambitious & (somewhat) free RPG? NEWS AT 11! Sure, they are technically impressive, but they aren't that "big" when it comes to gameplay, just entertaining pipe-shooters.

Right but each one will probably be a better game. I'd give a very low chance that FFXIII Versus is as good an RPG as Uncharted 2 was an action game.

 

[dakkumauji]

Woo, pre-production! Quite surprising it got even this far.

 

[Lesiroth]

I don't even know whether to cry or laugh in reaction.

I think I will just do both.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

They should just rename this to Final Fantasy Forever

 

[Nirolak]

smh, how can you get paid to work on a game that is in pre production for 4-5 years? Enough of the KH portables...

They want to make yearly entries.

Nomura has said in the latest issue of Famitsu that the next Kingdom Hearts game will not be Kingdom Hearts III and will not star Sora.

Square Enix is already planning the next game which will s tar a central character from the saga and connected to the stories told in previous games.

Nomura told Famitsu that he’d like to see a new Kingdom Hearts every year to please fans, meaning the next game would come out in 2011.

When he was asked if that meant Kingdom Hearts III is a go for 2012, he refused to comment.

Nomura recently said in a previous issue of Famitsu that for those asking about Kingdom Hearts III, “fans and partners alike are pressing us for it, so we’ll work to realize it as soon as possible.”

Unfortunately I can't find the GAF thread, but we had the same translation.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Pretty much a lock that this is Final Fantasy 15 at this point. They simply can't afford for this to sell less than 5 million copies with this kind of insane production time.

 

[pieatorium]

They should just rename this to Final Fantasy Forever

lol

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Sorry to pull this guy out but long parties are really no longer a core part of ff11. You can solo levels easily with Field/ Grounds of Valors books, which give you a lot of exp for killing a specific number of mobs. You can now solo any job to max in a decent time with this. And of course there is Abyssea exp XD

When was this the case? I'm seriously asking. I remember playing last year (may have been 2 years ago) and recall leveling up ever so slowly in the dunes and whatnot. Has there been more recent updates?

 

[NeededSleep]

I'm horrible with money. But i wonder how investors are/have been reacting to how SE has been doing.

Hell of a lot of PR for a couple of years not for a game not even in full production.


Edit for clarification.

 

[odhiex]

Guys,

What if Final Fantasy Versus XIII is actually a sequel to FF VII ??

They even probably will announce the title change to Final Fantasy versus VII??


Fabula Nova Crystalis is not even relevant anymore, with the existence of Final Fantasi XIII-2 and they changed the name of FF AGITO XIII to Type-0.


I know its sound crazy, but I just wanna have fun with the thread... :lol

 

[DrewM1788]

Where are people getting "pre-production" from? Nomura said that they have not reach "full production" yet. Couldn't that simply mean that they don't have a full production team at this point? Didn't they have many people from the Versus team working on Final Fantasy XIII?...they could possibly now be working on XIII-2 until later this year when they'll join back on Versus putting it in full production. Considering the gameplay video shown early this year, there is no way the game should be considered in pre-production. Production has clearly begun...it's just not in full production and will be when they have their whole team working on it later this year. People are blowing that statement way out of proportion.

 

[Cheska]

I wonder how high Nomura would rank as most hated man in the world.

 

[jackdoe]

But to be fair, isn't pre-production essentially engine building and scenario/world creation. I'm sure that while they haven't finished the scenario, they've at least started creating the environments and have a working battle system so they technically aren't still in pre-production. Unless the entire gameplay video was false.

 

[Utako]

Final Fantasy Forever lawl

 

[MetatronM]

I remember when Squaresoft announced FF IX, X, and XI at the same time and everybody thought they were crazy. And they ALL managed to release within 3 years of that announcement.

Now it takes Square Enix an ENTIRE CONSOLE GENERATION to release a game, and that's if we're really lucky. Seriously, WTF, SE?

 

[SOLDIER]

I bet over half of you don't even know what pre-production means.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Where are people getting "pre-production" from? Nomura said that they have not reach "full production" yet. Couldn't that simply mean that they don't have a full production team at this point? Didn't they have many people from the Versus team working on Final Fantasy XIII?...they could possibly now be working on XIII-2 until later this year when they'll join back on Versus putting it in full production. Considering the gameplay video shown early this year, there is no way the game should be considered in pre-production. Production has clearly begun...it's just not in full production and will be when they have their whole team working on it later this year. People are blowing that statement way out of proportion.

Bottom line is, the Wii U will be out before it launches in the west, and ir may be launching on only one platform. It (and Kingdom Hearts) will have missed an entire console generation. If that's SE's plan for the future of the series, it's unmistakably broken.

 

[Snakeyes]

This is really getting irritating. Why even announce the game as early as 2006 if it's still in pre-production five years later?

And why the hell is the journalist wanking to the graphics? They've never seen a high-end PC game before?

 

[DrewM1788]

Bottom line is, the Wii U will be out before it launches in the west, and ir may be launching on only one platform. It (and Kingdom Hearts) will have missed an entire console generation. If that's SE's plan for the future of the series, it's unmistakably broken.

No, the bottom line is that things probably haven't changed and it's still possible that this game will release in Japan at the end of 2012 as everyone thought before today. Now, one line is being misunderstood and people are acting like things have changed.

 

[maeda]

I genuinely wonder whose "fault" all the mess by the name of Fabula Nova Crystalis is? Was it SE's overambition with the creation of Crystal Tools, was it just pure mismanagement, or what else? In the light of this news, previous news about SE starting work on a next generation engine are even scarier? Why not just license and modify an existing well established engine? The company as a whole seems terribly unfocused. What a shame!

 

[TomcatTheLion]

However, they're making preparations to enter full production.

 

[Famassu]

It's a shame to hear the pre-production thing considering Square seems to emphasize that they are fixing their development schedule. Was this one so in the hole that it couldn't possibly be put into that plan or what.

No, Nomura just wants to take his time with making this all that he wants it to be. Cameron didn't begin with Avatar until he had the means to do so, Nomura has wanted to take a lot of time to get his team to really know the possibilities & limits of PS3 development to make Versus everything it could be with the resources & hardware they have available.

I don't understand why you would even announce a game in 2006 and still in pre-production in the first place?

They had this grand Fabula Nova Crystalis project that they had come up with and they wanted to announce a few games to go with it, thinking they'd probably get the first game out in 2+ years, then another within 1-2 years after that (Agito) and another in 1-2 years after that (Versus). And people would probably have been all over Nomura all the time whining and bitching where Kingdom Hearts III is if they didn't know he had something as big or even bigger underway. I mean, they kinda still are, but some are fine with it when they know what Nomura is working on instead.

Sure, they were stupid in the regards that they were underestimating how long it would take them to even get XIII out (especially with the problems they had with the White Engine/Crystal Tools), but in the end, when announcing the game, Nomura was somewhat open about the fact that Versus would be a project that would take a long time. They had thought XIII to be out sooner and Agito XIII not too long after that, but then problem arose and Agito was moved to PSP, and some of the problems caused the KH Team to have to work on XIII for a while to at least get one Fabula Nova Crystalis game out 4 years after the initial E3 06 FNC announcement.

Besides, it's not like they've been doing nothing this whole time, even if it hasn't been in "full production" (I really don't think that's as bad as some hysteric people are making it out to be, they are recording voice acting for god's sake, which is usually one of the final things they start doing at Square Enix, meaning the game has gotten past a certain point in development). Nomura has shared some details how they've experimented with a lot of stuff during the earlier parts of (pre-)development (at first they had more of an old-school FF world map, but after some time they decided to go with a more of an real-world scale, XII-like overworld, how big they could make the monsters on the fields and how they'd work while the gamer ran around the environments, they also only experimented, at first, how air-ships & dog-fights would work in the game and, AFAIK, that ended up with them being added into Versus etc.).

Why not just license and modify an existing well established engine?

They tried that with Unreal Engine 3 and didn't have the best experience with it. Besides, it's much cheaper for a big publisher like Square Enix to make an engine of their own. They aren't going to repeat the same mistakes they did with Crystal Tools.

 

[KingDizzi]

Fucking wow, I was in high school when this game was announced yet will probably have grandkids when this game releases. Fuck.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Pre-production?

Huh.

Fucking wow, I was in high school when this game was announced yet will probably have grandkids when this game releases. Fuck.

I was in high school, too. Good god.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

No, Nomura just wants to take his time with making this all that he wants it to be. Cameron didn't begin with Avatar until he had the means to do so, Nomura has wanted to take a lot of time to get his team to really know the possibilities & limits of PS3 development to make Versus everything it could be with the resources & hardware they have available.

Well I'm not one of the complainers. I really want it ASAP but I have no shortage of things I want to play, the game does look ambitious and I'd rather it be done right than quickly. Could be something special.

I'm just always curious how things go on at Square. Would love to be a fly on the wall....who speaks japanese.

 

[Toth]

When was this the case? I'm seriously asking. I remember playing last year (may have been 2 years ago) and recall leveling up ever so slowly in the dunes and whatnot. Has there been more recent updates?

FoV has been there a while (since Dec '08) but GoV (basically FoVs in dungeons) is rather new. What has made them so much viable however is than in Feb. (i think) they changed it from you could only do one a game day (every 45 mins) to as many times as you like. You just cannot gain any gil or tabs (used for bonuses) from the pages more than once a game day. So you get 800 a pop per page (more from higher level books) every 20 mins plus the exp from the mobs (which was increased last patch as well). Adds up pretty well.

Also, you no longer lose exp when you die under level 30

 

[AuthenticM]

I am hoping that the English recording sessions will also be done in group. That's how Japan has always rolled, and it should be the same everywhere else in the world. It simply delivers more realistic and lifelike performances out of the actors. It's a must, really.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

No, the bottom line is that things probably haven't changed and it's still possible that this game will release in Japan at the end of 2012 as everyone thought before today. Now, one line is being misunderstood and people are acting like things have changed.

The Wii U will be out by Fall 2012. Of course, we knew FF wasn't coming this year because it wasn't in their Fiscal 2012 projections months ago; this news, months later, that the game is still vaporware not ready to be shown publicly, just cements that even late 2012 is optimistic. Do you really think this game will be out in the next 18 months?

This far out from launch even LA Noire had hands-on impressions.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Pre-production?

Hey square go shut yourself the fuck down. You're an embarrassment.

 

[watershed]

What is this from its awesome!

Versus XIII is gonna make a great launch title for the next sony console, I just know it.

 

[NBtoaster]

Wonder what it's budget is.

 

[kenta]

This right here is the moment I pass through to the other side and no longer give SE the benefit of the doubt, they've lost my sympathy. They're going out of their way to ruin it for themselves. Absolutely unreal

Thinking about this game and then KH3 on top just makes me dizzy

 

[Raitosaito]

I really don't understand peole getting so riled up about this particular game taking ~6 years to be released after its announcement. I mean, when it was announced Nomura SAID not to expect it in a long time since they hadn't even begun development (at all) then and wouldn't for some time. It's not like it's the only game ever to take this long from initial announcement to release (Red Dead Redemption took at least 5 years, Max Payne 3 has taken, like, 8 years already, Last Guardian is going to take 6,5, LA Noire was announced way back in 2004, so it took 7 years). They are developing the game with the mentality that they are experimenting with a lot of shit ("hey, what about dog-fights? they could be cool." -> "sure, let's try that, see if they are any fun") instead of being all "no, we can't do any of that due to time/budget constraints", like too many games nowadays.

So there's been 3 Uncharteds between the time this was announced and this release. So what? All three of those games combined will probably amount to, like, 1/2 to how long a game Versus will be. Making sequels to a straight-forward 6-7 hour game that are also 6-7 hours long doesn't take as long as a massive, ambitious & (somewhat) free RPG? NEWS AT 11! Sure, they are technically impressive, but they aren't that "big" when it comes to gameplay, just entertaining pipe-shooters.

I mean, there are 2 hour movies that sometimes take as long (i.e. Tree of Life), why can't a (probably at least) 40 hour game take that long? Especially with all the ambitious stuff they are seemingly trying to do with the game. (note: not trying to compare Versus's quality to Tree of Life's, especially when it comes to the story of the game, just that they are both ambitious projects in their own way that take a long time to realize)


It didn't take over 4 years to be barely workable. Stop with the fucking hyperbole. :|

Those examples you gave were games that had long development cycle were due to mismanagement except LG, and they were abusing their whole workforce. Great Job!

No, Nomura just wants to take his time with making this all that he wants it to be. Cameron didn't begin with Avatar until he had the means to do so, Nomura has wanted to take a lot of time to get his team to really know the possibilities & limits of PS3 development to make Versus everything it could be with the resources & hardware they have available.


They had this grand Fabula Nova Crystalis project that they had come up with and they wanted to announce a few games to go with it, thinking they'd probably get the first game out in 2+ years, then another within 1-2 years after that (Agito) and another in 1-2 years after that (Versus). And people would probably have been all over Nomura all the time whining and bitching where Kingdom Hearts III is if they didn't know he had something as big or even bigger underway. I mean, they kinda still are, but some are fine with it when they know what Nomura is working on instead.

Sure, they were stupid in the regards that they were underestimating how long it would take them to even get XIII out (especially with the problems they had with the White Engine/Crystal Tools), but in the end, when announcing the game, Nomura was somewhat open about the fact that Versus would be a project that would take a long time. They had thought XIII to be out sooner and Agito XIII not too long after that, but then problem arose and Agito was moved to PSP, and some of the problems caused the KH Team to have to work on XIII for a while to at least get one Fabula Nova Crystalis game out 4 years after the initial E3 06 FNC announcement.

Besides, it's not like they've been doing nothing this whole time, even if it hasn't been in "full production" (I really don't think that's as bad as some hysteric people are making it out to be, they are recording voice acting for god's sake, which is usually one of the final things they start doing at Square Enix, meaning the game has gotten past a certain point in development). Nomura has shared some details how they've experimented with a lot of stuff during the earlier parts of (pre-)development (at first they had more of an old-school FF world map, but after some time they decided to go with a more of an real-world scale, XII-like overworld, how big they could make the monsters on the fields and how they'd work while the gamer ran around the environments, they also only experimented, at first, how air-ships & dog-fights would work in the game and, AFAIK, that ended up with them being added into Versus etc.).


They tried that with Unreal Engine 3 and didn't have the best experience with it. Besides, it's much cheaper for a big publisher like Square Enix to make an engine of their own. They aren't going to repeat the same mistakes they did with Crystal Tools.

Nomura said this is the first time they are recording voices while in deep/early stages of development, so this project is the exception. The bad kind of exception.

 

[Auto_aim1]

Some games get canceled after the pre-production stage, I can't believe they haven't passed that stage yet. I think they are waiting for the PS3 install base to reach 80mil or something.

 

[DrewM1788]

The Wii U will be out by Fall 2012. Of course, we knew FF wasn't coming this year because it wasn't in their Fiscal 2012 projections months ago; this news, months later, that the game is still vaporware not ready to be shown publicly, just cements that even late 2012 is optimistic. Do you really think this game will be out in the next 18 months?

This far out from launch even LA Noire had hands-on impressions.

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. I'm saying that nothing changed today. Before today's announcement, many people thought it was possible for Versus XIII to release in Japan at the end of next year. What announcement today makes that not possible? Nomura saying they're not in full-production yet? We're not even sure what that means entirely. Did you expect tons of pictures and gameplay information? If you did, you shouldn't have. Nomura is saving blowouts for conventions and we may get a ton of information at the few that are left this year. It is still possible for this game to release at the end of next year. People thought it before today...nothing should change them from thinking it now.