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SquareSoft to Develop for Nintendo Again
magicsquid writes: "GameSpot is carrying the news that Square has finally returned to Nintendo systems after a 5 year absence. This brings with it the knowledge that Final Fantasy XI will truly be playable on every console as well as PC to be uniquely massively multi-player." Planet Gamecube has a similar story.
Neither company has affirmed the port status of FFXI. It's almost a sure thing, but it's *not* confirmed.
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
Though some might say that Square is just turning out regurgitated crapola with the FF series (we won't mention Chrono Cross, PLEASE no...) it'll be a welcome change from PSO as the only MMORPG on a console.
Also, this does open up the ability for Square to bring in the old FF games... and.. mm, ChronoTrigger for GBA anyone? *drool*
Really, the argument between GCN and Xbox owners just got a little more one-sided with this announcement...
As I submitted this earlier and it was rejected.
Oh well, to add to this, Reuters has confirmed the news, as well.
Squaresoft/Nintendo was one of the biggest juggernauts of my childhood, and I'm very happy to see them in the same bed again. The two work together perfectly, and it just seems to flow wonderfully.
Not to disparage FF VII-X, but there was always something missing, on a PlayStation...
When encryption is outlawed, ?o'AZ-,++o+i++##4AoA+-/-C++bI+/.+~
and its a widely recognized fact in the console gaming business.
they need to get huge sales on FF from both the GameCube and the X-BOX to get em back in black type.
Shoul be interesting, i would gues Sony would really prefer that the FF series wasn't ported to Nintendo and Microsoft, but it will happen
WTF took them so long. Yeah screw karma I gots 50. Now my GameCube 0wnz all j00 who spent 100$ extra on a PS2 for nothing. No matter what you say.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
For those that don't know the backhistory, Square left Nintendo when the N64 went from a CD-based system to a cartridge-based. This was after Square had pledged their support, which was bad enough. Worse still, Square then went to other developers such as Enix(Dragon Warrior games), and convinced them to switch to the PSX as well.
The feud has finally ended, and it's a complete surprise. Hiroshi Yamauchi, president of Nintendo, is not the type to give in. No one's saying he did, but this announcement at least shows the guy can put business sense ahead of personal feelings. That's a revelation most in the industry would have strongly denied before today.
I purchased a Gamecube for my girlfriend this past Valentine's Day. The console has been out since before Christmas, and so far, the title selection is to say the least, poor.
There's in the neighborhood of 10 titles for the GC, and while some of them are gems (Super Smash Bros.), over all, they are relatively lackluster. Sega has developed for them, but not even they can provide a must-have title.
Enter SquareSoft. Any platform they touch these days will probably experience Square's huge following buying power. I think a lot of Nintendo's decline is a result of losing SquareSoft's contributions.
So maybe this will give Nintendo a huge boost. Why is that important? Aside from the argument of "yea, we need more competition," Nintendo is truly an "honorable player" in this market. They may have relatively shitty licensing tactics (everyone does), but over all, Nintendo demands an extremely high level of quality for their software. The titles, regardless of fun factor, are always extremely well polished. You don't always get that on all the other platforms.
Maybe Square will be able to give us die-hard Nintendo fans something to be truly proud of our platform for.
Why bother.
The GameCube doesn't have online capability (at present). That sort of kills FFXI. I don't believe Nintendo has committed to providing a modem/NIC as of yet.
I stopped playing FF after they stopped making it for Nintendo consoles. I hated the PSO, I have a PS2 and GCN. I didn't play FFX for PS2. A friend got it and he said it's pretty much the same stuff. Nothing special. (Well, except for the graphics of course) Maybe now that they're developing for Nintendo again, they'll put a little more effort into the gameplay/storyline? I'd take FFIII on SNES over FFX on PS2 anyday! :)
AirSpeak - http://itunes.com/apps/AirSpeak
Personally, I've found that the FF series is probably the only reason I would plunk down cash for a PS2. Now that I'll be able to play Mario, Zelda, and FF on the same system again, the Gamecube is the only way I would possibly go.
... then it would be gaming nirvana.
The one move that would make this perfect, IMO, would be if they would go back and bring the rest of the Final Fantasy series over to the
When encryption is outlawed, ?o'AZ-,++o+i++##4AoA+-/-C++bI+/.+~
But will you get to *feel* your characters loosing hit points first hand?
Wasn't it Yamauchi himself who said not so long ago, that essentially, after Square left Nintendo for Sony, that Square would be allowed to develop for Nintendo platforms again, over his dead body?
There's 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
The PC port was confirmed by the developers of the project quite a ways back. Do not feed this subtle misinformation troll.
Tricky, tricky...
If guns kill people, then CmdrTaco's keyboard misspells words.
If a game for GameCUBE is being developed by SQUAREsoft, naturally it needs LINE in the title, and the main character's name needs to be DOT.
Soon, my friends
All reasons for getting a GBA will be gone
The return of classical, SNES-era, 2d RPGs is upon us.
Rejoice
--- Do you believe in the day?
Square basically stabbed Nintendo in the back, telling game makers not to develop for the N64. It is my understanding this is why Enix didn't release an N64 RPG. Square publically apologized for this last year, for exactly that reason.
It's because of this, Yamamuchi's attitude was basically "We don't need Square. They need us. They lost money on the FF movie, and developing only for the Playstation won't make enough money to make up for that.".. or something along those lines. He didn't feel that Nintendo needed Square to be big, but Square needed Nintendo in order to get back in the black.
I have to admit, I'm surprised Yamamuchi is putting money into Square for this project. The only thing I can think of is that Square has something up their sleeve to make the Game Cube and the Game Boy Advance pair together. Square is an ambitious enough company that I wouldn't be surprised at all if they came up with an FF game for both GB and GC that can be played seperately, but when put together it brings a lot more.
Imagine if the GameCube version was the full plot, battles, etc, but the GBA version was for training your characters and improving their skills. Or maybe something even more sophisticated like the GBA version is a stripped down version of the game. Like you play it on the Game Cube, then you stop and save your progress to the GBA version, then you can continue the adventure on the road.
Man... if they did that, that'd be killer.
"Derp de derp."
It's not likely that Final Fantasy XI will be on the gamecube - ever. The gamecube has no support for network play, and Final Fantasy XI is an online game.
It's more likely that Squaresoft will bring an old Final Fantasy to Nintendo, like Final Fantasy X. Or maybe a special Final Fantasy like Final Fantasy Disney. Anyone see Square's Disney RPG at last years E3?
Joseph Elwell.
Like a million RPG fans crying out in anguish, suddenly silenced by the curse that is MMORPG
Excuse me, what was that you said? I couldn't hear you since I have my Grand Theft Auto 3, Metal Gear Solid 2, and my non vaporware Final Fantasy X games stuck in my ears.
If they don't release a single new game for PS2, I still feel I got my money's worth out of those three games..
All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
Now that will be truly impressive. The MMORPG has really caught on, and really has suffered no limitations. Combine that with the incredible success fo the FF series, which has led to some people purchasing game systems solely for that game, and you have something unbelievable. Combine THAT with the top four gaming platforms and you have a virtually guaranteed cash cow. If they can pull this off with the quality of an EQ or DAoC, Square will be able to afford another bomb, er... movie.
(Invidentally, I really enjoyed the FF movie. It's just too bad that nobody else did.)
-- Minds are like parachutes... they work best when open.
I can't believe people are still interested in Final Fantasy. I'll admit the game was impressive when the series first started, but gaming has evolved a great deal since then.
The entire series lacks any sort of depth in the gameplay. I find it to be incredibly boring in this day and age.
If Chrono Trigger, FF2 and FF3 (oh sorry I meant FF4 and FF6) were to come out on the Gameboy advance, I would be forced to purchase one.
In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
There was definitely secret money involved when Squaresoft abandoned Nintendo for Sony and the PS.
The official argument was that their games would not fit on cartridges, so they chose a CD-based console. But why did they choose the PlayStation? Why not Sega's Saturn? At that time, every other newcomer console had failed, why would Sony's be any different? Sega was quite well established in the console business at the time, Sony was not, everything indicated that Saturn would make a success.
I do smell conspiracy...They have promised a modem add-on and a NIC add-on.
They have also "promised" a CD-ROM drive for Super NES (which eventually became the PSone) and a Zip-like drive for N64 (the 64DD, which never hit U.S. shores). The general rule for U.S. Nintendo console accessories: If it plugs into the expansion port on the bottom of the system, it'll be delayed, delayed, delayed, until it's cancelled.
Will I retire or break 10K?
Guess we shouldn't buy Sony, then, either, as they've had the last 4 FF titles...
No, but I've read in Nintendo Power that it had even worse fog than Buck Bumble and no gameplay to speak of. That was not a Nintendo brand title but only a "licensed" title published by Titus (i.e. licensee signs NDA, Nintendo sells manuals and flash cartridges to licensee, licensee develops game, licensee ships game to Nintendo on a flash cartridge, Nintendo manufactures thousands of cartridges containing a mask ROM and sells them to licensee).
Will I retire or break 10K?
While it is possible that Nintendo would have the Gamecube modem and broadband adapter ready in time for a MMORPG Final Fantasy Game, this seems far more likely as just the other day Miyamoto was talking was talking about the problems with online console gaming. Personally, I would rather have a great, offline RPG that can compete with the goodness of FF4-6 than something I have that requires me to shell out a lot more money for hardware (hence the $199 GCN in the first place :)
"Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
Yeah, but you still can't play Final Fantasy X, Grand Theft Auto, or Metal Gear Solid 2.
You left out the 3. Grand Theft Auto 1 is available for Game Boy Color.
Will I retire or break 10K?
...PS1 no está portable.
I'm still waiting for a PC port of FFIX. I doubt that it will ever be made, though.
I personally would like to see a Secret of Mana sequel on Gamecube.
FF is a great series but secret of mana sure is fun too. Especially if they beefed up the mutliplayer support some more.
I've got a translated rom of SOM2 for an SNES emulator and it's great fun. I can't believe they never released it here. I guess they didn't have the time or resources to put into it.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
I dont consider Windows a platform...Why do people use the PC word...when talking about Windows....hmm sucks..
Be Yourself, Be Amazed...
From the planet Gamecube site:
"Final Fantasy XI," the next title in the series, is expected to take advantage of the online multi-player features of the PS2 Sony unveiled on Thursday, and the Nintendo deal is not expected to stop further PS2 production.
So who cares? I'll play the games on PS2.
It's great that Squaresoft has broken free of the Final Fantasy monopoly of Sony. But don't forget us Xbox owners, who, would probably put the largest chunk of change into Square's pocket in terms of game sales. Let's hope for tri-console development on Square's behalf!
A lot of people I know moved from Nintendo to Playstation/PS2 if for no other reason than the fact that Square was developing exclusively for Sony.
With the Nintendo hardware being so much less expensive, the only advantage PS2/3 will have over GameCube for many gamers is the reverse-compatibility (gotta love all those $20 PS-One games).
Nintendo has done more than their share of backstabbing too, and they've caused most of their own problems. First they backstabbed Sony with the N64 CDROM deal. They backstabbed Square by refusing to move from the outmoded cartridge game format, keeping Square from being able to create Final Fantasy VII. (They started in this direction, see the Final Fantasy SGI demo. In the end, Square said they could have done FF7 for the N64, it just would have cost $7k for the cartridge.)
Thus the rise and domination of Sony. It's interesting to note that every platform Square has seriously developed for has been the dominant platform: NES, GameBoy, SNES, PlayStation, PS2.
Nintendo can say what they want, but after the fiasco that was the N64, and the pressure from Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo needs Square a lot more than they'll let on. Excluding Square is not really an option. They need third-party games; first-party games just aren't enough (as the N64 showed).
That said, I don't mean to imply I'm upset in any manner at this news. This is great! I've wanted to see Square and Nintendo get back together for awhile... I want to see Square stuff on my GBA, and getting a GCN I'd love to get Square games on that.
Plus, as history has shown (see: Dreamcast), Square leads the majority of buyers, and this is probably a nail in the coffin of the XBOX. ;-)
Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage
This is indeed not the first post, and you are a bunghole.
Im glad to see a company coming aboard of the GC train that will hopefully bring more sales to this truely awesome console.
/.ers that don't like RPGs (or is that like saying there are /.ers who dont like animie?)
Id just like to toss in my $.02 in that I was never and still am not a big fan of the FF series. More specifically - im not a fan of the whole RPG *thing*. The only RPG I have enjoyed was Earthbound (SNES) and I am told over and over that was not a true RPG. There have to be other
The ultimate network admin tool needs HELP!
its brings tears to my eyes, i loved ff2 for super nes and i can't wait to see what square will bring to the gamecube :)
It's a suppository.
the psone is from sony and is a playstation 1 in a smaller form factor
Sony apparently calls the entire PlayStation 1 platform "PSOne" now. I used the term "PSOne" to refer to the PlayStation consoles that share the hardware architecture of the game console that Sony released in 1994, not just the semi-portable version with the smaller cuter form factor but no Game Link port.
it has nothing to do with nintendo.
The PlayStation was originally a CD-ROM attachment for the Super NES. Read this: "Keep in mind that Sony was developing the Super NES CD-Rom add-on before Playstation. In fact, that is what Playstation was evolved from." Google about for more info.
Will I retire or break 10K?
Too bad Nintendo's been an ass about it since the PSx split.
The Blaster Master Fighting for Truth, Justice, and Evil Pie since 1979
I think this isn't a particularly huge supprise, because judging by some early sales figures i'd seen, it seems that gamecube was losing to the other 2 "next-gen" consoles. Everyone here knows that putting FF back on a nintendo system means selling MAJOR units (machines and game).
I mean hell, now that FF is going to be back on Nintendo I'm gonna have to buy me a gamecube (and with the next legend of zelda title on its way)... Nintendo just wants to remain a big competitor, and to be big, you have to have the big games... FF is probably the biggest game out there, so I think this is a strategy move by Nintendo
On a personal side note FF3US is my fav so far.. I'd really like to see 11 top it.
CoyboyNeal is God
No, the jews are cool. It's the sand niggers that need to be exterminated. They are fucking insects. Every fucking one of them should exterminated. They aren't even really human.
real community of gamers. If everyone is playing FFXI on PC, PS2, GC, and XBOX, maybe we can finally settle some of these silly fanboy arguments like, "consoleA kicks ConsoleB's arse, but they're both better than the PC" and such other ridiculous arguments. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, and all have some excellent games. Anyway, I'm excited to see how this turns out.
Next they'll probably port older Final Fantasies onto the Gameboy Advance, who needs the Wonderswan now?
Let me guess....You were tormented by a gang of Moogles
when you were a small child, right?
And the flaimbait responding to the whiner get's modded up to +2 as well. I think the above comment *truly* shows a problem or two with the moderation system.
I do have to say, the SNES FF games were awesome. The gameplay, music, and detail in FF2 was what got me hooked on RPGs. When FF3 came out, here was a game which had the advantages of FF2, with a huge storyline. Spent many a weeks playing it.
The SOM series is another one of my favorites. Different style gameplay, but nonetheless, very well done. SOM2 (aka SD3), well, now there is a truely amazing game. It took advantage of some of the coolest features of the SNES. The multiple story line/characters made for a game that never got boring.
Brielle
I taught myself how to code just to make a MMORPG back in 1990 >:) Then I managed to get top in the world as an HCI guy, trained with MTG world champs, made world semis in Broodwar, designed gnutella, designed diablo 1 unhackable using client side storage(uses a p2p psuedo server), designed true artificial intelligence. All I do is code, play video games, and design video games :) In fact I sell third party applications that automate some MMORPGS. I'd go on, but it would just be exhausting. Also I just graduated with a degree in Scientific Computing from Carnegie Mellon University. No matter how much effort you put into life, its just a big fucking crap shoot. Now excuse me while I go rob a bank to pay back my $100,000 in student loans.
www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~sager
God spoke to me
Why is Israel killing medical workers and children and running tanks into ambulances? If Israel wants to stop terrorist attacks, how is this going to help? If a Canadian kills my brother, should I just shoot 10 Canadians at random?
Why is Israel advancing on Palestine? If a Mexican kills me, should I just destroy 10 Mexian homes at random? Why will this help?
The last time I remember reprisals was during WW2, where n Jews/Eastern Europeans would be killed in an occupied village for every 1 who disobeyed orders.
I am having trouble understanding this. Please could someone explain it.
Everyone keeps saying that FFXI will never come to Gamecube, because it does not have online capabilities, but your wrong! Nintendo has already shown both the modem and broadband adaptors for the cube at Spaceworld and E3. Their online planes have not been shown as of yet, but the technology is certainly there. We only just recently discovered Sony's plans for online play, so I imagine Nintendo's are not far off. This is a real dent to Sony's might in the console race. While they may be #1 in mindshare now, in terms of hardware they are not #1. It would not take long for developers to start turning their backs on Sony like they did Nintendo in 1996 because the console was hard to develope for, expensive, and technically limiting.
13 year old white supremacists are shitty web designers.
Squaresoft used to be a great company. I have been slowly working through FFX on my friends PS2. While being able to switch to Grand Theft Auto at whim is nice, I am too much of a sucker for Earthbound and F-Zero to actually buy a PS2 over a gamecube.
Squaresoft's change of heart is nice, except for the fact that a lot of the games have gotten annoying. I think FFXIII is the clearest example of that. But more than anything, I am sick and tired of remakes of all the old SNES games. Sure Secret of Mana would be nice on the GBA, but how hard is it to make a new game? I wouldn't care if Squaresoft used the same graphics, mechanics, and characters, just give me a new story. Let me those play FF4-6, Chrono Trigger, and SoM type games again, but don't make buy something I already have.
Of course we are all suckers and will go buy all the square re-releases because they are there. Stupid stupid us.
In terms of what this could mean, Mario RPG would be a total hit!!
I have been a Nintendo Fan since i was 5 and got an NES, I still have it. I also still have the SNES system I first got. When I heard that Sony left Nintendo to do their own thing, (for those who don't know, Sony made the Music core SPC for the SNES)I was angry to say the least, for I knew that Sony and Nintendo together could do great things. Then Squaresoft left. I was confused, and enraged. These three of Quality, Sound, and Gameplay, was the best thing the gaming world had. The News that I read now. The gaming world finally has it's highest power back. Nintendo was smart to stop being so stubborn. Rejoice! The level of quality and gameplay is back, and it will be glorious!!
My girlfriend is a ubergeek who plays the Nintendo a hell of a lot more than I do (I participate in two player games... where she proceeds to whoop my white ass). She does Linux admin, codes C in circles around my head, is a LaTeX Goddess (follow the link you sickos), and has had every Nintendo game system since NES. Now, you tell me who the Gamecube was for. :)
Why bother.
I've been a dedicated Nintendo fan for a long time, after becoming hooked on their Square games - like Chrono Trigger and FF VI (III here in the US). When Square stopped developing for Nintendo, I was deeply saddened, and I've been waiting a long time for this moment.
But will this really be such a good thing? The N64 had almost no RPGs, and the Gamecube, while it seems to have some, doesn't have as many as it should. Even if Square starts developing for Nintendo, does this mean the GC will see more RPGs (the GBA, on the other hand, has plenty of good RPGs)? As well, maybe this is just my opinion, but the recent Square games have not been nearly as good as the older ones. Chrono Cross was far worse than Trigger, and the newer FFs seem to be more about graphics than storyline and good old fun, like the old ones. If Square does start making games for Nintendo, will they really be such good quality?
And he actually asked me what I'd rather have for Valentine's Day, a nice dinner and flowers, or a gamecube. I told him I'd rather have the game cube.
;)
:) She seems to really enjoy it and that's what matters guys!
If you are the maintainer of a geek girl, please consider the following advice. If dinner and flowers are cheaper than [insert latest game console / cool computer toy here], please bear in mind that your geek girl may likely request the gift with greater longevity.
You have been warned.
DISCLAIMER
Please note that I'm kidding. I do not regret having bought my beloved such a gift.
Why bother.
Sega announced that Phantasy Star Online 2 will be out for PC, Gamecube, XBox, and PS2 (along with the existing Dreamcast version, but there's no promise of compatability with it) well before Square announced FFXI for those systems. Why didn't PSO2's news make /. headlines? Just because Square has broken down and decided they can make money on all the platforms again doesn't mean they deserve a headline here...
taco
"Corrupting our youth one mind at a time"
I would agree for past games. But SSBM has no replay value(probably for lack of extensive combos) and gets pointless after unlocking all the chars, etc. I hope Nintendo deliveres another Mario64 with Mario Sunshine. I'm really looking forward to that and Resident Evil.
Very true, but they can't get enough of "the People's Elbow". Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?!
Well you could probably fit this broadband adaper in if you wanted really fast access.
Or you could fit a standard modem in if you didn't have broadband access.
But I guess the real quesion you should have been asking is, what would you connect the console to ?
It is relatively easy to provide hardware support to enable a machine to play games over the internet. It is much much harder to provide exciting online games, and communities that make people want to spend their money playing games online, and it is this that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are tryin to figure out now.
Indeed the Xbox which shipped with a broadband adapter still doesn't have any games that really use it, despite the online play being one of the 'unique' features of the xbox, because no-ones figured out how to make online games exciting enough and make money (apart from MMRPG)
So when wil you be able to play GameCube games online ? probably when Phantasy Star Online is released for the GC (it is an 'Online' game) and that is meant to be out in quarter 2, 2002, which means less than 3 months.
"Free software as in beer, copy protection as in racket" - Telsa Gwynne
I dunno if I'd go as far as to say that Square was mismanaged. Square is a risktaker company. Their decision to move from Nintendo (been around a long time) to Sony (hadn't proven themselves yet) to try an ambitious new game (FF7) that merges real time graphics with a full motion background was very risky. Anybody remember Tobal #1? That was a very robust fighting game that not a lot of people knew about. Square done a ton of other games in a variety of genres, mostly in Japan I think, and they manage to come out ahead.
Square hedged their bets on the FF movie too. I think what they were hoping to do was define a new genre, i.e. total CG drama. If they stayed on top of that genre the way they did with RPG's, then they could really diversify their business and be very profitable.
But they blew it. Pity, I think a few more months of work could have really defined that new genre. Who knows...
You can't win every bet.
"Derp de derp."
(link to one-off handmade PlayStation portable)
Sure, a few prototypes exist, but it's not a product. If I can't obtain one, then its existence is a moot point. Therefore, it is no substitute for a Game Boy Advance. What the OP wanted was more along the lines of "widely available portable system that can play Squaresoft titles". Yes, Game Boy does have FF Legend (SaGa series) and FF Adventure (first Mana game), but I'm not 100% sure those count.
Will I retire or break 10K?
If they're continuing development for the Playstation 2, who cares? If not, watch for Sony to take a big hit as fans of regurgitated vomit switch allegiances.
Anyway, as much as I dislike Square, I've some key advice for them. Look at EverQuest, Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot before you dare design a massively multiplayer game.
Don't let yourself be taken in by people like Sonic Team, who will insist they're the world's greatest. You'll end up with unplayable, bug-ridden, cheat-filled crap, such as Phantasy Star Online.
Design. Your players are your enemies. They are actively looking for ways to cheat, and ways to harm other players. Realize this, and you may put out a game worthy of playing.
michael is on crack. I submitted this right before the previous story was posted. That was almost evening, but the timestamp on this story is after 6pm. This isn't to say that I think mine should have been put up, however if someone is checking out/posting submissions around the time I threw in mine, why did it take that long to get the story up? Plus, the one put up is a bit inaccurate. FFXI's not been confirmed for GC release -- that's just a fantastical dribbly interpetation by someone reading what is a GENERALIZED announcement. Bleh on Slashdot.
As for the event itself, this is good news -- however certain things need to be kept in mind. The first and foremost thought is Square's not produced anything on the level of FF6 since the SNES days.* Getting back on a Nintendo system will not magically make Square games better.
Secondly, yes, FFXI is a possibility as mentioned before, but NOT CONFIRMED. Nintendo does however have online capability in the form of network and modem adapters. Just because they're not currently out does not mean it's not feasible. Sega's got a version of Phantasy Star Online ready to go for the GC, they're just waiting on Nintendo to get moving with the network. As soon as Nintendo figures out their online strategy, you'll see the network adapter/modem.
Third, there's no guarentee that Square won't go belly up soon. From what I understand, they're in trouble -- the movie flopped, and sales of FF haven't been as stellar as they would have liked.
I see this deal as being primarily for GBA games. Square does good business with its FF remakes for the Bandai Wonderswan in Japan, but they have no GBA presence. I believe we'll see re-releases of older Square RPGs on the GBA soon.
* Strictly my opinion. Feel free to debate, but take notice that opposing arguments will be ignored, shreded, burnt to ashes, etc.
-----------
POiT!
ALL HAIL NINTENDO, FOREVER KING OF THE CONSOLES!
Does someone mind telling me why we all assume that Square is going to support the XBOX ????? I have yet to see Square issue a press relaese or statement saying that FFXI or any FF is comeing to the XBOX .
Geez, on the bottom of my gamecube it has a 'Modem adaptor port' that is empty, and a 'Broadband adaptor port' which is also empty. The hardware is not released yet, BUT WILL BE WHEN Phantasy Star 2.0 is released in the next month on the GameCube. This is NOTHING NEW, PLEASE quit spreading FUD like this. Gamecube has always had online capabilities in mind when it was released, but Nintendo doesn't know how it will handle users SERVICE WISE, not HARDWARE WISE, two totally different things. With the Broadband option you'll be able to link right into your LAN over your cable modem no problem. Dialup will be interesting to see, as I think the makers of Phantasy Star have a service # specifically for it.
To clear up a few points-- First, "a Final Fantasy game" has been "explicitly stated" as slated for appearance on a Nintendo console, according to this report. More than that,t he game is said to be "new"-- most probably implying that it is not merely a remake of a previous Square game.
Secondly, and this is probably the most important factor to consider, Squaresoft isn't really returning. Careful examination of the RPGamer story reveals that "Fund Q" is intended for a Square-affiliated company, not an actual chunk of Squaresoft per se. Think of the relationship as being similar to United Game Artists (Rez, Space Channel 5) and Sega. UGA is part of Sega, but retain autonomy to do as they please. In essence, it will be Square-but-not-Square. And while any Square is good Square (generally), let's hope that what the company produces is of higher caliber than Secret of Evermore.
As for speculation towards games... I would definitely not rule out ports of the FF series at some point in the future, if not sooner. There's simply too much money to be made to ignore that. However, Square has afew options for milking a little more money out of the US market. There were plenty of games that never saw the light of day on US shores-- Bahamut Lagoon, Live A Live, and the first half of the Front Mission series. Square is increasingly of the mind that "if the Japanese play it, then so do the Americans"-- witness Driving Emotion Type S and the somewhat half-assed Bouncer. So there is a very good chance that if it gets produced for a system with a significant US presence-- GBA, PS2, NGC, or XB-- it will get localized. (Alexander O. Smith, by the way, is the man responsible for the excellent translations we're getting accustomed to nowadays. He just gets a little dry, though, after a while-- sheesh, I must be old if I'm reminiscing fondly about Ted Woolsey.)
So then what should be done? Well, first off, support the system of your choosing, and choose the system you want. But do it primarily for the games that are out now. FFX, Metal Gear 2, and Rez are excellent reasons to own a PS2; Smash Bros. and Rogue Squadron are significant draws to the GameCube; there's something literally for everyone on GBA (you officially have no excuses now); and the XBox has... erm... well, I hear Halo's pretty good. Oh, and Jet Set Radio Future. Localization happens based on consumer demand, but primarily due to installed base numbers. So buy what won't make you bored until the next FF comes out.
Oh, and if there's a "Secret of Mana" petition/letter drive/march on Redmond anytime soon, make sure someone lets me know, OK?
"Why Subscribe?" Good question...
Uh, no. Do you know how popular the N64 got when the first Zelda was released on the N64? You couldn't find any SYSTEMS in stores, much less the game for WEEKS. Nintendo did a great job on the N64, but by far could have done better IF they had gone cd based. But for you to even come close to saying the N64 was a failure is pure, and total BS. That systems life is just as long as the original PSX, and I can say by being an owner of both, that the replay value is still far stronger on the N64 than the PSX. (Outside of the MegaMan and Castlevania game) You sound as though no one bought N64s or Nintendo games for it, when in fact they broke quite a few records with them.
The Gamecube will have Phantasy Star 2.0 (Which is massive multiplayer online) in a month or so. On the bottom of the Gamecube are two expansion slots labeled 'MODEM' and 'BROADBAND'. The adaptors will be released when Phantasy Star 2.0 becomes available. Nintendo has no ONLINE SERVICE PLANS yet, which a lot of people think that they wont have any HARDWARE available, which simply IS NOT TRUE. *Please* people, stop with the FUD. This is just so sad. Gamecube has *always* had online game support in mind when it was released, and it will be the second system to truely have it without hacks next to the Dreamcast.
It'll be interesting to see what they release on GBA. Most of the FF games have already been rereleased on PSX this past year. I couldn't imagine them rereleasing any earlier than FFIV. Chronotrigger on GBA would be kick ass though too.
Worldwide, Gamecube has a HUGE lead on the XBox. XBox was too slow, and too skethy of a system for dedicated Euro and Asian markets to buy into. Some might say they were a hell of a lot smarter than the USA by staying away from a MICROSOFT product. I wouldnt blame them. No way am I gunna go near that pile of trash.
Too bad the Nintendo has absolutely no online plans with the Gamecube...
Casual Games/Downloads
Not every platform Square has developed for has become the dominant. Square did develop for the Wonderswan and Wonderswan Color in Japan. While it did reach a 30% marketshare, it still didn't compare to the GB's (who had basically the rest). This of course, happened after Square severed the relationship with Nintendo.
The ______ Agenda
Either the world is coming to an end or Yamauchi will be going postal tomorrow when he finds out about this. I can see him now, a katana in one hand and an Uzi in the other, shouting unintelligible things about molesting chocobos...
It's interesting to see how Final Fantasy got started on Nintendo systems and will ultimately make a return appearance on a Nintendo system in its death knell.
I honestly can't see how Final Fantasy can survive FF XI. While other RPGs focus on nifty game play mecahnics (Chrono series) or an immersive universe (Dragon Quest/Warrior, Phantasy Star), Final Fantasy games really have only one thing to rely on: story. The games are so story-driven that you might as well be playing on rails. People sure as hell didn't play VIII for the unending GF sequences. They didn't play VII for the stale JPG backgrounds. They sure as hell aren't still playing because they love the random battle engine left over from the 8-bit days. People play Final Fantasy for the characters, story, and in recent years the cut-scenes.
So what in God's name makes them think they can translate any of this into an on-line game in any meaningful way? If half a million people are on the same quest of epic proportions, it ain't exactly epic any more. They can't make the entire game world on rails so there goes the concept of cut scenes. They can't just use the universe the game series is set in because there is next to nothing in common between any two Final Fantasy games.
I think Final Fantasy XI will end up being known as Square's version of Episode I.
Ok, for everyone saying that the GCN doesn't have online play, well neither does the PS2 yet. We've all heard that both system will have online play, but this is yet to be released. Sony was supposed to have theirs out sometime LAST year. I invite all of you system owners to take out your GCNs and PS2s and open the expansion bays, *lookie* the're both empty. You're going to have to shell out the dough, either way. As for the XBOX release, as of last month's XBOX magazine, the BOX will only support broadband play, not the 56K modem that they announced long ago. Sure, Broadband is on the XBOX now, but how many gamers does that shut into a cold dark room?
Frankly I'm happy to hear about a new FF game, I don't care what system it is for, but when given the choice, I'm gonna buy the modem and FF XI on the GCN. Just please Square Soft, no more voice acting, ok?
I want 2D games back.
This feud started with The Secret of Mana . Square, Nintendo, and Sony were teaming up to release the Secret of Mana as the killer app for the SNES CD. Sony then decided that they wanted to also release their own "playstation," which would play SNES CD's, and their own proprietary format. History can be found here. The contract did not forbid this, but forbid Nintendo from breaking out of the agreement. So, Nintendo started working with Phillips on another CD rom (compatible with the also doomed CDI), and announced that it would be the dominant CD format for the SNES. (See SCEE's Official Version. Also visible on www.scee.com, if you have IE and a patience with slow scrolling scripting. More history here.)
The history of that feud is probably only truly understood by lawyers, but it is clear that Square took a major hit in terms of profit when Nintendo abandoned the platform that Square had just geared up to and had developed their largest game to date for. I don't know who bore the brunt of costs for translating SOM to the SNES, but I'm sure it wasn't a happy meeting.
Let's also not forget that Nintendo decided not to release FF2 in the US thinking that it would be unprofitable, and made this decision after A: it had been translated and B: they had run an 8-page spread in Nintendo Power (check your backissues folks! There was a contest and everything.).
From there, Square naturally decided to follow the evolution of the SNES CD the Playstation, and break ties with the company that they had established an intimate relationship with. Ugliness followed.
That ugliness can be found elsewhere, I'm not here to tell you how it ends. I'm only here to show you the beginning.
The ______ Agenda
i can't type more than that for my comment. some admins are aholes. some admins are aholes. some admins are aholes. some admins are aholes.
yea it will be the second system to have online next to the Dreamcast...
:P
meanwhile back at the ranch Martissimo fires up Halo that is plugged in to his *built in* ethernet connection on his x-box (not rumored broadband connector coming soon to so many other game systems), and has a good time playing against people all over the world
Phantasy Star 2 will be out in a MONTH with ONLINE support for the GAMECUBE. The modem will also be AVAILABLE at that time! There is so much misinformation on this damn news article its insane. This guy pulled '6 months minimum' out of his ass. Why not just READ UP a little, and you would know Nintendo will be the first of the 3 to have true online play within the next month. Sheesh!
Yeah, after you install all the hacks on your PC to reroute and host games. That's not exactly builtin online gaming. XBox is a cheap hack, and their online solution totally blows at the moment.
Square exacs have been quoted by Reuters (leading new agency) saying FFXI is indeed being ported. Direct quotes from the top of Squaresoft. Not rumor, not dribble whatever, but true hard facts. Now, please keep wishing it's not true and be jelous your XBox will never see a Square game ever.
No wonder metamoderation is so much more common.
If all you assholes do is moderate down, or moderate a +5 thread up, why bother at all?
After the N64, which, except for Zelda and Perfect Dark, was a complete pile of crap (IMHO), I swore to never buy another nintendo product again; however, big N really got their act together with the GCN. I love SSBM, and now they're getting back with Square?!? I don't know if this has been mentioned already, but Capcom recently signed an exclusivity deal with the big N for their Resident Evil series (if you haven't seen screenies of RE:Zero yet, run, don't walk here now!). If they (Capcom) follow suit with the Street Fighter franchise, the GCN becomes a very, very tight-looking "lunchbox" (Popular Science).
But Maaa! Everyone else has a
At the beginning of the N64's life, it was the console that was getting frickin insanely high bids on eBay, much as PS2 did some years later. So it wasn't doomed to fail from the get-go.
What turned it around, I'm certain, was Final Fantasy. That was a milestone in gaming for the PlayStation, and for a while, the definitive PlayStation game.
N4st0r, trixx0r h0bb1tz0rz! Th3y st0l3 0ur pr3c10uzz!
i guess you consider going to gamespy.com and downloading a simple client some sort of hack then i guess. a script kiddie who downloads a ICMP prog and tries to DOS you with it is a virtual CS major by your standards.
:P
the x-box ships network "ready" and is allready usable by thoose of us who have one as is. once the network is set up it will be even more so, in the meantime we can use it anyways online, which of the other 2 (ps2, GC) can say that??? oh that's right, neiher of em can
*HALLELUJAH*
Sigs pose an operational security risk and help the baddies aggregate data. I guess commenting does too, oops.
the knowledge that Final Fantasy XI will truly be playable on every console
I've seen no talk of porting it to the XBox. Of course, I'd be more than happy to see someone prove me wrong (of course, it'll more than likely be met with the typical "XBox sucks" and "any MS product = world domination" garbage)
The best thing about a boolean is even if you are wrong, you are only off by a bit.
I'm sure that if you're anything like I was about 4 years ago you aren't even reading this and if you are you're doing it from behind six feet of defenses.
Know that you know nothing and everything will begin to make sense.
Breathe out your past with every breath and breathe in the present.
Worry more about others than your self.
With the new, easy to get along with personality that has arisen from living this way I've found a group of people who I learn from and enjoy being with, not just showing off to. Several of us are working on an MMORPG in fact- using nevrax's libraries (nevrax.org).
I too dreamed of interacting in such an environment and such books as Ender's Game and later Snow Crash fueled that passion. There are many things I've thought I came up with only to find someone had already done it. I've learned not to let that get me down and instead take heart that my ideas were indeed workable and useful. I still hope to innovate, but thats not accomplished by working on recognition for ideas that are already disseminated. Put out your newest, edgiest, most likely to be wrong ones and you'll be contributing.
breathe,
~m
I agree. And, as an added bonus, jews can be used to make soap and high-quality carpets.
I just want to get this off my chest now so I can get a big "I told you so!" out a year from now.
Final Fantasy XI is going to be a flop.
Different RPGs rely on different things for their success. Phantasy Star has the Algol system. Mother/EarthBound has its aesthetics. Dragon Quest/Warrior has the whole medieval feel.
Final Fantasy relies on story and character development, focusing on group dynamics and such as the small party of heroes goes to save the world from some great cataclysm.
That cannot be translated to an MMORPG. MMORPGs rely entirely on the players for character development, and their very nature requires a lot of little quests for all the players to try out instead of one big quest that Final Fantasy is known for.
The things that make an MMORPG a success (namely the universe) doesn't really exist in the Final Fantasy series. There is no game universe, there are ten game universes to date. There are no common characters between the games, each game introduces new characters. There are few if any monsters common to all the games. The only real constants in the games are chocobos, moogles, spells, and some guy named Cid (who may or may not be a party member, depending on the game).
Final Fantasy XI will be a flop because it will be a Final Fantasy game in name only. There will be some nifty new mechanic for character development (the shiney new job/esper/materia/GF/whatever system), familar spells, chocobos, moogles, and... not much more.
About the only way I could see this working is if they take the universes of all the ten previous games and somehow connect them. Have a student from Balamb Garden explore Baron. A character born and raised in Coneria seeing the sights of Midgar. But even that would be a big departure from the previous games because they were never meant to be connected.
So don't say I didn't warn you.
You know, Phantasy Star Online ver. 2 will also be available on all three consoles...
As far as I'm concerned, FF XI is a red herring. What I'm dying to know is if FFI, FFII, and FFIII will be ported over to the GBA so I'll have a snowball's chance in hell of seeing those remakes.
And speaking of remakes, I seem to recall Square tossing about the idea of next-gen remakes of VII, VIII and IX. What's up with that? Can I play FFVII with a real soundtrack instead of MIDIs?
And while the PSX releases of VI, V and VI were OK, they really didn't add much more to the Super Famicom versions. How about giving those games a 32-bit make-over like what was done to I, II and III for the WonderSwan Color? After all, the GBA is God's gift to 2-D...
After five years I should be used to this sort of misinformation being accepted as fact, but I'm not....
Square left Nintendo for monetary reasons alone, and they did nothing to mislead Nintendo. The issue most likely had to do with the release of the N64: the PSX was already out, the N64 was on the horizon, after several delays. It had already been a year or two since the last major game from Square, and the shareholders were getting antsy. The PSX was there, Sony was looking for developers and willing to bend over backwards to please them, and it worked out for Square's favor.
Nintendo was surprised, but Square hadn't promised them anything. Certainly, they had collaborated before, and Nintendo was relatively notorious for keeping a close family of developers, so it was unexpected, but not a betrayal in anything other than the eyes of a few rabid fans. Square had, contrary to popular belief, never started producing FF7 for the N64: they had produced a small little SGI demo using characters from FF6 to show off what they could do on next-gen systems, but it was never anything more than a technology showcase.
The true feud didn't seem to begin until the two companies started throwing insults at each other susbequently, for whatever reason. Square acted more or less as any company would have, under the circumstances, and Nintendo reacted in an understandable manner.
Even the more recent pieces of evidence for some sort of blood feud have been blown out of proportion: Nintendo apparently instituted a "package deal" policy requiring developers to produce for the GameCube if they wanted to produce for the GBA. Square was interested in producing for the GBA but not the GC, and Nintendo wasn't interested in that deal. Now, Square's changed their mind, and Nintendo's fine with that.
I think people have been reading more into this than has really ever been there....
Sean Daugherty "I have walked in Eternity -- and Eternity weeps."
I bought my GBA a few months ago to have something to do on the train commuting when I'm on a brain dead day. The link-up capacity really intrigued me.
:) ($50 - Sonic 2, $10 - link cable, $40 - Sonic Advanced)...
My friend got Sonic 2 for the GCN, and I got Sonic Advanced for the GBA (both games kick ass, BTW, and I have Sonic 2 as well now).
I figured, I really want to see the link-capability, and what's $100 for that...
It's really cool. Both games feature fun Sonic action (the GCN game is a decent transition of Sonic from 2D->3D, though not as good as Mario 64 was, and Sonic Advanced is fresh Sonic fun).
However, you can move Chao, the creatures from the minigame, between the systems. It sounds really dumb, but it works nicely. You get to play the game as normal, but as an added bonus you can to convert your accomplishments into little animals that you can compete with.
I really feel that RPGs will see the greatest benefit from the link-up, with Pokemon being an obvious example. You can train your Pokemon in your hand-held RPG, then compete with your friends on the TV instead of on the hand-helds.
In a more "adult" setting, I'd really like to see an "American" RPG (more character driven, not collections of cut-scenes). I mean, supposedly Camelot is releasing a Golden Sun game on the GCN that will let you bring your Golden Sun character into it, and other games could do it too.
I love Sonic, but part of the reason that the Sonic games dominate my gaming time is the link-up. I can play Sonic at home or on the road, it's Sonic everywhere.
In Final Fantasy... wow!
Alex
Sonic came out when, 1990, 1991? We're talking 12 years... Sonic (and Pikachu, Pokemon's from 1995, right?) are too young too see how well the endure.
Sonic wasn't good enough to carry the Dreamcast. I like Sonic 2 on my GCN, but I wouldn't buy a system for Sonic.
Pikachu is cool and all, but after 7 years we don't know how well Pokemon will maintain its brand. It could be an endless franchise like Mario (who dates back to approx. 1983), or fizzle out.
Samus fizzled out after Super Metroid, and I'm pysched to see the Return. However, Star Fox, while newer than Samus by about 6 or 7 years, has appeared more recently.
I'm just nitpicking, I've had Nintendo and Sega systems since the Master System and NES, both companies make different but fun games.
Third Party games? They fill niches that the First Parties lack...
I have Gauntlet, fun to play with friends. It's a niche that Nintendo doesn't fill. I wouldn't buy a system for it, however.
Don't forget Donkey Kong, it's been an independant franchise (with 2-3 games/console) since the SNES...
Alex
I'll believe that nonsense about better graphics and more gameplay when the games aren't VAPOR!
All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
So you take your Xbox to bed with you and read those magazine previews to get you all hot & sweaty.. I'm too busy ACTUALLY PLAYING the games that YOU WISH YOU WERE.
All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
Please, stop feeding the trolls. This is your first and only warning.
Didn't Squaresoft work with Nintendo just a few years ago on an RPG game for the N64? Tell me I'm not crazy. I think they did Aidyn Cronicles: The First Mage. I remember playing it and thinking, "MY GOD! THIS IS HORRIBLE! SS DID THIS?"
Correct me if I'm wrong.
I play Tony Hawk online with my ps2. All I had to do was buy a USB ethenet device. I bought a generic linksys, plugged it in and now I can play online. I even have my wireless logitech keyboard plugged into the other usb port to talk to people while i'm playing tony hawk.
Joseph Elwell.