FFXII News Coming At Square Enix Event

Gamespot is reporting on the upcoming Square Enix Summer gaming event at the end of July. From the article: "As expected, the most anticipated stage presentations at the event will be the two planned for Square Enix's upcoming role-playing game, Final Fantasy XII. On day one, series' music composer Nobuo Uematsu will discuss the game while showing off some new footage. The company will also be making a major announcement about FFXII."

Comments

And... no one cares

[Anonymous Coward]

So? Final Fantasy is dead.

No one cares any more.

FFXII will be combining the worst elements of FFTA and FFXI. I'd be more interested in news of FFXIII being an actual RPG, and not a .hack ripoff.

Re:And... no one cares

[RogueyWon]

You've got a slight point about FFXII being a .hack ripoff (although Kingdom Hearts would perhaps be a fairer comparison, as it's both older and also by Square), but personally, I'm going to wait and see.

Almost every installment of the Final Fantasy series has changed something about the game-world or play-mechanics from the previous installments. Every-time, we see the more short-sighted of the fanboys wailing about how this is the ruination of the series and how it's removed everything that ever made it worth playing. Personally, I take the longer view. Every time Square have changed the play mechanics, they've managed to create an interesting and enjoyable game, rather than "just another sequel". The only recent title in which they *didn't* significantly change things, but rather went for a deliberate nostalgia trip, was FFIX. This seems to be to be a title that's largely forgotten when people talk about the series these days.

Re:And... no one cares

[KrisW]

I was thinking pretty much the same thing until I played Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time. There's still a part of me that wishes it was a traditional turn based affair but, given their past performance, I've got a bit of faith in SquareEnix.

Re:And... no one cares

[CashCarSTAR]

Actually IX had it's own system as a whole, it wasn't just nostalgic. (It had the AP system where you could equip a certain number of special abilities depending on your level).

It was good.

In any case, WTF? FFXII being a KH rip off? I just don't see it. If anything, FFXII looks to me to be a Guild Wars rip-off, at least combat wise. Mind you, I'm sure the production work on FFXII started long before GW, so the label "rip-off" is too strong, but I'm expecting the same feel from FFXII's combat as I get from doing a mission in Guild Wars. Running through a beautiful environment, fighting groups of monsters in in real-time. That's what I'm expecting.

Re:And... no one cares

[May Kasahara]

Thank you so much for that. I'm sick of all the posts on Slashdot declaring "Final Fantasy has gone downhill since..." Every time a new game in the series comes out, it seems that there's something new for "fan"boys to bitch and moan about.

Every game in the Final Fantasy series is different in some signifigant way (I agree that FFIX was probably the least different-- though it did have some novel elements of its own). Honestly, the games wouldn't be "Final Fantasy" if it wasn't for said variation; in fact, it's what keeps the series consistently interesting.

Re:And... no one cares

[Rethcir]

I disagree entirely - I think that FFIX was a deliberate and attempt to bring the series back to the "wacky japanese fantasy" feeling of the SNES entries, after the overly serious tone of VII and VIII.

Re:And... no one cares

[Lynxara]

FFIX's problem was not that it was supposedly nostalgic (it did nothing for me on that count). It was a rather ill-advised merger of a quirky, claymation-esque design sense with a deeply unintuitive combat system. While the main characters were appealing, the secondaries were boring and the villains were quite annoying. It just wasn't a game worth playing for long; there was on the fancy CG to separate it from your run-of-the-mill Japanese CRPG. It wasn't a bad game, just... not at all a remarkable one.

Re:And... no one cares

[DaFork]

I'm sick of all the posts on Slashdot declaring "Final Fantasy has gone downhill since..."

But it has been downhill for all of us that loved the turn based non-linear gameplay. I couldn't even play FFX-2. I like to take my time during big battles to decide which tactics to use and I like to make my own decisions about where to go and what to do. The latest FF installments are moving away from this.

Perhaps they are trying to cater to a younger, less patient, crowd that wants instant action. Personally, I miss the days of just wandering around a huge map, battling random encounters to level up, and just trying to discover things about the game that are not obvious.

Re:And... no one cares

[jclast]

How have they been moving so far away from turn-based gameplay?

Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance were a turn-based RPG fan's wet dream, and they're both on the current generation of consoles.

Final Fantasy X-2 could be slowed down. Battles were still in active time, but they weren't the lightning-fast affairs you make them out to be.

Final Fantasy XI was their first foray into the realm of MMOs. As soon as you show me a good turn-based MMO, I'll go play it, but as the field seems to stand right now, an MMO has to be real-time to be viable in the market.

Re:And... no one cares

[DaFork]

How have they been moving so far away from turn-based gameplay?

I said turn based and non-linear

Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance were a turn-based RPG fan's wet dream, and they're both on the current generation of consoles.

I don't know about FFTA (I don't have a GBA), but FFX was an excellent turn based game. But (and this is a really big but) it was completely linear. You went where they took you when they wanted to take you and that was it.

Final Fantasy X-2 could be slowed down. Battles were still in active time, but they weren't the lightning-fast affairs you make them out to be.

I made FFX-2 out to be not turn based... and it isn't turn based so I don't see your point. I don't want my ememys hitting me while I'm thinking or getting a beer. Period.

Final Fantasy XI was their first foray into the realm of MMOs

IMO, FFXI is not a real FF title in the same series as the others. It is a MMORPG and belongs in its own category. It should of been called Final Fantasy Online, not FFXI.

I just want to wander around, explore the world, kill things, spend an hour fighting a boss, do side quests when I want, talk to NPCs, and figure things out for myself. The old FF games were like that. The new ones are not. This isn't rocket science.

Re:And... no one cares

[jclast]

If you insist on both turn-based and non-linear to have a good time, might I reccommend Disgaea: Hour of Darkness? And to a lesser extent, La Pucelle: Tactics and Phantom Brave?

All three titles are from Nippon Ichi, and they're all SRPGs, but they're turn-based, deep, and non-linear. You can replay stages and you only advance the story when you want to. If you're willing to give on the non-linearity, Gladius from LucasArts (another SRPG) has a great battle system, and you can replay fights whenever you want (until you leave your current zone for a new one).

Also, I'm sorry. I responded a bit too quickly, but it seems you might do better to branch out as you seem to enjoy games that meet pretty strict cirteria.

Screw the announcements!

[Anonymous Coward]

The entrance fee to the Square Enix Party 2005 will cost 1,000 yen ($9.18).

Most fans who live in Japan would probably pay twice the entry fee just to see Nobuo Uematsu let alone get the chance to be present to hear a press release first hand or try out games like Grandia 3 before its released.

Re:Screw the announcements!

[the_skywise]

I paid $70 and drove ~300 miles.

single player or MMORPG?

[joe094287523459087]

i never played FF games before FFXI (MMORPG), and as a hardcore ffxi player i'm wondering if anyone knows if S-E is planning another MMORPG?

ffxi is 3+ years old now and any new MMORPG they announce could be seen as the beginning of the end for FFXI.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[Guppy06]

It seems reasonable to believe that there's be an Dragon Quest/Warrior online game eventually, but nothing has officially been put in the pipe.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[wheany]

Single player.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[Chris Mattern]

Yes, but not a FF MMORPG; FFXII will be single-player. The new SE MMORPG is called "Fantasy Earth: The Ring of Dominion": http://www.playonline.com/fe/

It's planned for release this year in Japan. No plans for an NA release has been announced yet. According to SE, it will include "strategy" elements; your guess as to what this means is as good as mine.

Chris Mattern

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[falcon5768]

going to be a new expansion to FFXI comming out and another update that finished the CoP storyline this July.

FFXI has a lot of life left.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[djdanlib]

No, they aren't going to replace FFXI yet for several very good reasons.

FFXI is less than 3 years old on the Japanese market, less than 2 years old here in North America, and less than 1 year old in Europe. There are very few Japanese players who have seen everything in the game, and even less North Americans. Ask any Rank 10 player how long they played to get there. Nobody wants the game to end, because you can only see so much in a day and there is a huge library of content in the game.

They just announced FFXI for the upcoming XBOX 360. Making it obsolete before it is released would be a very unwise idea. SE doesn't like shooting themselves in the foot - notice how they killed Square Pictures after one bad movie, and are also making games for Nintendo systems again. Also, if they release FFXI on the 360, we can expect another few expansion packs for it after that - and sticking to the one expansion per year trend, it's got some life in it yet.

The player base is still trending upward very rapidly, so you can believe they are still making new content.

Some people claim FFXI is dead and they're quitting because they can't have fun. I claim that their play experience was ruined by the multiplayer aspect, when they really wanted a single player game. Yes, folks, the game forces you to interact with other people in order to move through the storyline. Get used to it, that's what the second M in MMORPG stands for - Multiplayer. The famous nerfs, like DRG Penta? Those are for our own good... I don't like when someone can exploit a bug in the AI or game mechanics to gain an advantage.

FFXI is a great game without bringing my computer to its knees. I really don't care if I am way over-equipped to run it, I just want to enjoy the game - and I can.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[joe094287523459087]

what server are you on? i'm grunion on midgardsormr :) just got did CoP 8-2 this weekend

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[djdanlib]

Alas, we are on separate servers. I play on Siren.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[jweric]

like GW? I assume??? If so, that would be funny.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[Anonymous Coward]

You obviously don't play FFXI, since you missed the giant 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY they had in May.

It's over 3 years old now.

Re:single player or MMORPG?

[djdanlib]

Somehow I missed that one. Probably because I had so much WORK to do this spring in my ACTUAL REAL LIFE... Well, I guess you're right. Still, it's a fairly new game in the MMORPG world, and Square would be foolish to destroy it.

At least call me out with a name attached to your post. Some people have no dignity, I swear.

Re:Important points...

[Anonymous Coward]

Best troll. Evar.

Final Fantasy 11 is...

[Dewrf]

Final Fantasy 11 is and was the only game that is online. Every other from 1 - 10b and now 12 are all single player rpgs This isn't compition just another sequal While final fantasy is a good game series i wish they would start another one as they are sort of plowing final fantasy into the ground i mean come on ff12 is realtime action not turn based. The begining of the end i say for the series. -Jayson

Re:Final Fantasy 11 is...

[N3Roaster]

Real time action done right is fun. Granted, it isn't my idea of what Final Fantasy is, but the games have gone from rigid turn based combat through to less structured delay based combat so why not realtime action? We've seen the begining of the end for the series before (VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, and XI have all been called that by people who didn't like abandoning squatty sprites, changes in the magic system, nostalgia-fests, voice acting, same world sequels, or online play respectively and I think it's safe to say that if V had come out in the US between IV and VI, fans would have complained about that as well) and while there are certainly people who prefer the older games (I'm replaying FFV at present and I've probably played FFVI through more times than any RPG other than Chrono Trigger (if you don't count Nethack)), but I doubt we're at the end of Final Fantasy. At least, if we are, we aren't at the begining of the end.

Now, then... almost at world 3.

Roman Numerals

[RickPartin]

I have to admit it and come clear right now. I don't know roman numerals. I just don't. So please Final Fantasy, I realize they make you look cool and it's essential to your brand image, but for my sake USE REGUALR GOD DAMN NUMBERS. Thank you.

Re:Roman Numerals

[Durinthal]

Okay, so the next one will now be labeled Final Fantasy C.

No? How about Final Fantasy 1100?

Final Fantasy 22? 110?

Re:Roman Numerals

[Anonymous Coward]

You know, you could just educate yourself.

Re:Roman Numerals

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry that you didn't pay attention during your elementary school math classes, but you could fix that problem in a few minutes if you bothered to search Google.

Re:Roman Numerals

[Anonymous Coward]

To quote an E2 writeup on the subject: "Why shouldn't I use arabic numerals? Becase that's not what the fucking games are called."

The announcement:

[suyashs]

there will be two versions of FFXII, one for PS2 (the version they have been working on) and one for PS3 (a quick port with highly improved graphics and the same gameplay)...SE was irked when Sony announced the release date for the PS3 around the same time that SE was going to release FFXII for PS2. This is just a way to make the best of a less than ideal situation...

Re:The announcement:

[Mandoric]

Doesn't seem too likely; early '06 launch is right in line with all expectations, and in fact a longer life for the PS2 than the PS1.

Also note that FF3 came out 27 April 1990 to the Super Famicom's release 21 November, FF6 2 April 1994 to the PS's release 2 December 1994, and FF9 7 July 2000---4 months after the PS2's release on 4 March.

EXCUSE ME!

[Anonymous Coward]

I am sorry! But I cannot read english! Stupid Square Enix! Why don't you just use REGULAR OLD GOD DAMN SPOKEN LANGUAGE! I mean, c'mon here!

Damn the world for expecting moderate intelligence from someone as smart as I!

Re:Hopefully the special anouncement...

[Anonymous Coward]

I hear people say this same thing over and over, so please clarify. What was so great about 1-7 that 8-10 didn't have (I'm leaving X2 out of this because it sucked, and XI out because it's differences are obvious)?

Making sense of Roman Numerals (A Guide)

[IllogicalStudent]

I don't know roman numerals. I just don't.

They're actually quite easy.

• I = 1
• V = 5
• X = 10
• L = 50
• C = 100
• D = 500
• M = 1000

So, if you have III, it's 1+1+1=3. If you have LXVI, it's 50+10+5+1=66.

Where it gets mildly confusing is when you have a lower-value numeral preceding a higher-value one, as in the case of IV or XL. In these cases, you read it literally as "1 before 5 (4)" and "10 before 50 (40)".

For practice figuring these things out, all television shows have a production date at the end (usually following the credit rolls). Present shows are easy (MMV -- 1000+1000+5=2005), but try those from the 80s or 90s. For example, MCMXCVII = 1000 + 100-before-1000 (900) + 10-before-100 (90) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 1997.

Hope I haven't confused you further.

Re:Making sense of Roman Numerals (A Guide)

[trixy_1086]

According to my grandfather, who got his master's in classical studies, the placement of a preceding number to indicate a lower value is an invention of the 1700's, and the romans always just wrote VIIII to represent 9, for example. Furthermore the letters Y and W did not exist. Y is known in French as "Greek I" and W was simply written as two v's, also known in french as "Double V" rather than double u.