Gaming Final Fantasy XII

[Sandy]

I was just doing my normal web-surfing on few gaming sites, when I bumped into [url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2003/2146.html]THIS[/url]!!!

Yes, six days before the official presentation, we have the logo & the main protagonists & first screenshots & art from FFXII!!!

And I'm the first here to tell you this! Whee!!! :toothy: ...Okay, totally irrelevant...:rolleyes:

But few personal thoughts I had when devouring these pics with my eyes:

*I read somewhere that this game was linked to FFTactics & FFTA - and what do you know: there's a banga right behind Van (the male character)!
*I was a tad disappointed to see YET another blonde male lead and yet another brunette female lead... Is it really somekind of must to do that in every modern FF-game? :therock: (Locke, Cloud, Zidane, Tidus, Tifa, Yuna...)
*But nevertheless Van and Ash look amazing! A bit nude-ish, but hey, that's the way of today's world! :naughty:
*The chocobo on the left-hand corner looks very terrifying! No more chibi-kawaii-cuteness-stuff in this game, I reckon...

Alright, I'll take a breath and let you others say something now! ;)

[Tix]

If you look at the girl and boy, you could see ressemblance to Yuna and Tidus...or am I the only one to see that?

[Semjaza]

As most people know I don't exactly love FF... but I'm really, really excited about FFXII. Mostly because of the people involved, it's not all the same people as the past ones.

I can't remember everyone at this point, but people involved with Vagrant Story are doing the designs for example (which probably explains the Chocobo). No Nomura! Yay.

However, at the same time I am very disappointed with the designs. The look is not what I expected and it's almost like they were trying to emulate Nomura's designs. Problem is that they made the girl look so much like Yuna and the male character looks feminine. They're hardly bad and there is finally a change in facial features (I felt many were similar in FFIX and FFX for example). Still looks good.

Matsuno is the one in charge now, and I really have high hopes for this game. Just based on the people working on this one, I really expect it to be the best FF yet (mostly because of Matsuno, though)... no matter what the graphics are like. Gameplay should be awesome.

[IMG]http://members.optusnet.com.au/~hirokazu/public/ffxii_logo.jpg[/IMG]

[Zidargh]

[color=silver]It better not have anything to do with Vagrant Story though as that game scared me after a while, ^_~.

I know FFVIII didn't recieve the greatest of feedback but still, the whole Galbadia theme did rule in my opinion. The screenshots show a very futuristic theme which (I may be wrong) but do look very interesting.

I'm anticipating this game, purely on the reasons of X not really satisfying my expectations, but I'm always open to another attempt. That's all I can really say, Semjaza cleared most of my points up so I'll leave.[/color]

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]Lol, Van (is that the best they could come up with?) reminds me of Kid from Chrono Cross. That's kind of freaky... And Ashe reminds me of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I don't think she looks all [i]that[/i] much like Yuna, though. At least not facially.

And that Bangaa looks awesome. I wonder if FFXII's story is related to FFTA at all, though, or if they just borrowed some elements from it such as there being Bangaas. I want to see Vieras too; they're my favorite race in FFTA.

Anyway, this has given me yet more incentive to get a PS2. Maybe it'll follow the GCN and drop to $99 so I can afford one. ^_^;[/color]

[Sandy]

Well, whenever this game arrives to Europe, I'm sure I'll have PS2 by then, since it will take YEARS! ;)

About FFTA-relation: I wonder if this game involves a job-system as well? Probably not, as they just released a game with one (FFX-2).

But if you zoom to the small screenshots, you can make some interesting notes about the battle-system, such as both weapon and shield are visible, there can apparently be 3 party members on the field at a time, and that Van's sword is BURNING!!! Whoo...

You should also notice the tall, black-suited character with long white hair standing with Van&Ashe - maybe a Viera?

I wonder who the dude in the logo is... Maybe the villain? Okay, I'm not going to spoil this game too from myself... not too much, at least. ;)

[Xai]

[color=crimson]Looks good so far. The graphics are nice, it reminds me of FFX.

Van looks like the upbeat, carefree type of protagonist we've had in the past few games.(I just hope he isn't too much like Tidus though... I HATED Tidus >_<) But I guess I can't judge a character before playing, lol.

That girl looks kinda like FFX-2 Yuna.[/color]

[Semjaza]

I got this from Magic Box:

(NOTE: I wouldn't take this as total fact yet, but Magic Box has been fairly reliable lately. I guess they're trying to get their reputation back)

In an interview with the Final Fantasy XII developer Yasumi Matsuno, a few new tidbits are revealed about the game:

The game will be in 2 DVDs
Very little love elements in the game
The game style resembles Vagrant Story
Huge world map
Many people will be surprised: "Is this Final Fantasy?"
Tight controls

Sounds good to me, I can say that. Matsuno is awesome and was obviously brought aboard to add different gameplay elements to the series. I'd assume it will be a nice combination of traditional FF stuff and Matsuno's things in VS that actually worked well. Looking foward to it, especially thanks to the lack of a major love story. Finally.

[Dagger]

Eh. I'm glad they've decided to take the series in a new direction.... but I can't say that I'm incredibly enthralled by the character designs. Do we really need yet [i]another[/i] blond male lead? Van reminds me of both Zidane and Tidus, and Ashe looks no different from Yuna or Rinoa.

Well, appearances aren't everything, and at least both of the main characters are skimpily clad (rather than just the female).

And it's nice to hear that they've chosen not to let the plot rely on one of the usual cliched love stories. Thank goodness.

~Dagger~

[Semjaza]

[strike]There's going to be a conference about the game in Japan... would be about 12 AM Pacific time here. 1up.com and other sources say they'll probably be sending in their updates on the conference around 6 or 7 AM Pacific.

So I'm expecting some movies and such. Yay.[/strike]

In any case [url]www.ff12.com[/url] was updated. Check it out for a bunch of new pics.

From [url]www.1up.com[/url] ([url]http://www.1up.com/article2/1,4364,1388091,00.asp[/url]):


[QUOTE]UPDATE 6:19 AM PST: Our Japanese correspondent, Andrew Vestal, has reported in with all the details from the conference. Take a seat, cause there's lots to pore over:

You've seen Final Fantasy XII before, and you haven't. If you played Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and wondered which "Final Fantasy" it was that the kids in that game were such big fans of, it was FFXII: that world was based on the world Matsuno was already working on for the main series' twelfth installment. So if you want to know a little about the world and its inhabitants, FFTA is a good place to start, though the two games are completely independent.

But beyond that, everything here is new to FF. When 1UP asked if FFXII would have the same dark style that his previous games (Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics) were known for, director Matsuno said that "What is mainstream is in the eye of the beholder, and in the preconceptions the player brings to the game. For example, the movie Gladiator won the Academy Award for Best Picture and was quite popular ... some people see the darkness in the message and setting of the movie, while others just enjoy it for gladiator fights and action. FFXII is the same way. Players who just want to play and enjoy it will enjoy it, whereas players who are familiar with my past games, who are looking for that darkness, will find hints of the tone throughout."

The "darkness" he speaks of is already evident in a lot of the game's setup. The warlike empire of Arcadia has already seized the country of Dalmasca, resulting in displaced princess Ashe and easygoing citizen Vaan to form a nascent rebellion against Arcadia. Their main adversary in this are the Judges of Arcadia -- though these are not the Judges you know from FFTA. Matsuno explains, "In FFTA, the Judges served the purpose of a sort of impartial police court. In FFXII, hey are depicted as a group of knights who use terror and fear for their aims." Some CG cutscenes shown support this, displaying the Judges terrorizing one of their own Bangaa henchmen.

More CG cutscenes showed off other aspects of the game: large battle scene, comparable to Helm's Deep from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, except with the addition of airships. (The main airship in the game is a whopping 340 meters long, by the way, a little over half the length of the Enterprise from Star Trek.) An unnamed character appeared in the CG; the apparent leader of a vast army, she has short-cropped grey hair and is very thin, wearing white armor and a cape. Other characters introduced besides Ashe and Vaan were an unnamed party member who looks something like Hardin from Vagrant Story, as well as Fran, a Viera archer shown in many of the battle scenes.

Speaking of the battle scenes, though no specific details were offered at the conference, we can make a few guesses: the Active Time Battle system would appear to be returning. Enemies can now apparently guard players' attacks, so a timing-based battle system similar to Vagrant Story's may be in effect. There also seems to be combo-based manuvers possible between party members, judging by icons that light up simultaneously next to character names.

That's all we know about the gameplay so far, but Matsuno did have one more thing to say: Final Fantasy XII is not a movie, he stressed. It's an interactive game, and hence "the wishes and preconceptions of the player will affect what they find out of the story." There won't be any branching-path system in place; rather, the scenario has been designed such that the players have a wide breadth of possibilities within the scenario, giving them the opportunity to choose their focus within the wider scope of the story. If true, this would be a large (and welcome) step away from the very linear scenario design of past Final Fantasies. Whatever the game flow ends up being, Matsuno mentioned that a key themes in the story would be "diversity," as represented by the different races -- of which moogles will again be a part. The moogles seen in the game are actually the 10th design, Matsuno joked, noting that the first attempt at FFXII-style moogles was "scary."

Even if that design had stayed, though, the moogles would be the only ugly thing about Final Fantasy XII's visuals. Akihiko Yoshida (Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics) is handling the character design and map direction, while Hideo Minaba (Final Fantasy IX) is the overall art director. Yoshida commented that the focus of his design was the real-time characters first and the CG ones second, which is evident in the final product. The team (known as Production Development Division 4) is using a new engine rather than stick with FFX's; it uses half the number of polygons with an increased focus on textures and lighting. Which is not to say they didn't beef up the polygon count where it mattered: to help in the new, improved animation system, Ashe's face has 1479 polygons and Vaan's has 1487.

The third important staffer in terms of visuals is Isamu Kamikokuryou, who handles background art. The overall look of the game is of a real world: very detailed brickwork with visible decay and vegetation growing over it, to create the impression of a place that lives and breathes. Matsuno commented that the theme of the visuals is a Mediterranean style, drawing from the clash of European and Arabian cultures. Unlike FFX or X-2, players will be better able to appreciate the world with the inclusion of a first-person look-around mode.

In keeping with the general "new" approach to the franchise, longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu will only be involved in creating the key theme song this time. The rest of the music will be composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who worked with Matsuno on (say it with us) Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics. Curiously, the sound team mentioned that ever since Final Fantasy VIII's "Eyes on Me" song, the vocal theme of the game has been emphasized, but with FFXII they want to try something "more than just the song." Just what that might be, though, is a mystery.

Various Square Enix staffers were on hand to give their comments on FFXII, many of them having longtime connections to the series. Yoichi Wada, CEO of Square, talked about being a fan of Final Fantasy even before becoming the company bigwig; he related the trouble he got into once after overwriting his wife's game save. Yoshinori Kitase, producer of FFVII, VIII, X, and X-2, talked about the need for competition within Square Enix and how that benefits the Final Fantasy series.

Surprisingly, even Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series originator, showed up for the first public appearance in a couple of years. Speaking of Matsuno, he told the audience "I love him ... welll, that may sound odd to say, but I love his products, and I love the way he works, and these two things together mean that I love him."

Currently, Final Fantasy XII is due to be release in Japan in summer 2004. The staff cautioned to "please let us finish the game, we don't want to disappoint you," but given that the game is reportedly already 70% finished, Matsuno was pretty confident that there would be "about six more months until release." After all this, we're pretty excited. [/QUOTE]

As I've said for months and months now, I'm really looking forward to this game. Matsuno is awesome.

[IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49349,00.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49350,00.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49351,00.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49352,00.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49357,00.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49359,00.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/4/0,3363,sz=1&i=49360,00.jpg[/IMG]

First movie here: [url]http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~nanko/news.cgi?id=2003112003[/url]

Do not direct link it. I don't think it's even worth the download, but there it is anyway.

[b]Much better movie here (3 min long): [url]http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~nanko/movies/ff12-2.wmv[/url][/b]

[James]

[color=#707875]Every single thing I've heard about this game so far makes me excited about it -- moreso than I was about FFX or FFX-2.

In fact, I think I'm more excited about this game than any Final Fantasy since FFVII.

I am glad that they're taking it in a new direction. So far, it sounds like the general theme to the game is going to be great. And I'm also interested to read about the architecture and the amount of attention that is being paid to these elements. It's nice to know that everything won't look the same; that everything will have a distinctive feel of its own.

In terms of visual design, this game looks more gritty than FFX. Some shots remind me of FFVII, only with a little more decorative flair. So visually speaking at least, that's great news for me. [/color]

[Break]

[size=1][color=CC0000]Oooo..

FFXII does look verrry cool. One thing that does annoy me though are the in game graphics. It looks too much like FFX.. grrr. I really think they should change the engine for graphics so we can get something new and fresh.

I love the artwork, it is so detailed and also futuristic and rustic at the same time. *wants a poster right now*

Can't wait. ^__^[/size][/color]

[WW2]

Heh, the game looks great, but that's no surprise. But it does resemble FFX in many ways.

The world they're using in this FF looks sorta like a mix between FFIX and FFX, which is good.

The only problem I see is that the main male character, Vann, looks a little too much like a girl in the face. But then again, the Japanese do like that girly guy look.:D

[Sandy]

GUESS WHAT?!?!

There's going to be a new update NEXT WEEK!!! I'M SO EXCITED I'M TYPING IN CAPS!!! :excited:

According to Rpgfan.com (who got it's info from Quiter), two more characters will be introduced in next weeks JUMP-magazine: the Viera called Fran (you can see her from the back in one of the already published screenshots, and in another screenshot she gets torched by the dragon :devil: ), and a swordsman called Balfrea, who is from the "Sky Race" (?).

The only problem now is how I can manage to wait until next week to actually SEE THEM?!

(...BTW, I have a bad feeling I'm going to spoil this game too from myself, like I have done with FFX and FFX-2... Well, too bad! :P )

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]Hmm...if FFXII is supposed to come out in Summer 2004 in Japan, that'll probably mean it'll come out around Christmas 2004 or later over here in the US. Which means I'll be able to get money for a PS2. Which means [i]FFXII will be mine! YES![/i]

I loved FFTA's world, so now I'm really curious how similar FFXII's world will be. Also, I'm wondering if they'll use the job system again, which I loved in FFTA. I can't wait for that new update either. :toothy:[/color]

[Semjaza]

Some new stuff from FF12 and some random scans from GAF. Thanks to them heh.

[IMG]http://www.felixmcli.org/ff12/chars-02.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.felixmcli.org/ff12/shots-02.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.felixmcli.org/ff12/shots-01.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://crew.zantiago.com/img/uploaded/FF124.JPG[/IMG] [IMG]http://crew.zantiago.com/img/uploaded/FF122.JPG[/IMG] [IMG]http://server4.uploadit.org/files2/121203-FF4.JPG[/IMG] [IMG]http://server4.uploadit.org/files2/121203-FF3.JPG[/IMG] [IMG]http://server4.uploadit.org/files2/121203-FF2.JPG[/IMG]

[James]

[color=#707875]Very nice. ^_^

I finally downloaded that second video clip from the press conference. I must say, it's pretty impressive.

In particular, I'm quite amazed at the facial detail on the real-time models; it effortlessly outclasses Final Fantasy X in terms of looking very soft and natural. You can see that they worked on the real-time models first, which has apparently turned out to be a very good move.

I also noticed that the battles (from what can be seen, anyway) seem to be very fast-paced and quick. It also looks like they might finally be eliminating random battles, just by looking at a few areas where battles took place -- it seemed as though the party would stop to fight a monster upon encountering it (like that little fight in the hallway that you see).

I'm also wondering about this idea of timing your attacks and stuff. It definitely appears to be more "real-time" than previous Final Fantasy games.

Either way, I'm very excited by what I see. This game has a very fresh look and feel, based on what I've seen so far.[/color]

[Sandy]

THANKIES, SEM!!! NOW I CAN STOP TYPING IN CAPS!!!

I went to the official site today, and saw the screenshots already, but you actually had the magazine-scan I've been waiting with drool dripping from my mouth. Thanks a lot, again! :D *from this point on Semjaza is Sage's personal hero :toothy: *

Then the comments:
*Fran looks AWESOME - in a dark and cruel way. And Balfrea (which I now fancy over Vaan ;) ) isn't a swordsman, but a gunner. Well, I think I can live with it... *hangs the picture of Balfrea to the wall*
*The Bangaa (if I'm not badly mistaken) apparently turned out to be more like pigs than lizards. Apparently they are supposed to be the baddies, so they deserve to be ugly as butts. :toothy:
*I'll make a wild assumption and assume that the grey-headed, sword-lifting man (which I named Greylock when I saved the shots) is the antagonist of this game. It's a shame it is apparently that obvious...

I haven't yet managed to download the video, thanks to my sucky connections, but even these movieshots make the game look like a reason to invest on PS2.

Well, I'm off to admire my new god (Balfrea, the God of Hunkiness). :toothy:

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]*choke, cough, sputter* Okay, I have to say right now, I don't think the Viera translated well to 3D. She looks like a rabbit, lol. In FFTA, their ears were pointier and furrier and less...well...rabbit-like. As it is, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to take the Viera seriously in FFXII. :cross:[/color]

[Semjaza]

The problem with the Viera is that the ears are so stiff. I think if they were given more a floppy quality, they'd look nice.

[Sandy]

But I thought the Viera were SUPPOSED to be bunny-girls? I personally think that Fran will bring a nice change to the row of characters (though she seems to fall into the same category as Kimahri and Red XIII).

[Semjaza]

The Viera looks better ingame, I'd say.

You can tell that there is a polygon drop in some of these images, at least in the backgrounds and with that T-Rex. The character faces are improved though, rather obviously I think.

The one shot of them all running in the desert is rather impressive, as it seems to signal a vast world to run around rather than the "tunnels" in FFX that I hated.

[IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/ursU_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/wNsQ_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/f5FD_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/mKDM_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/HyBY_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/YaRz_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/Ju8o_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/tSxv_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/DbVS_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/9ZDu_screen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.gameonline.jp/soft/ps2/finalfantasy12/TvGb_screen.jpg[/IMG]

New video -- shows new characters, more battles, story scenes and a few summons...

[url]http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~nanko/movies/ff12-jf.wmv[/url] - 7 and a half minutes, 30 MBs.

[Box Hoy]

I thought they were supposed to have a Bangaa in their party as well. I saw it in Electronic Gaming Monthly. i hope they have one.

[Sandy]

Box Hoy, there's going to be much more characters in the game than the four announced, so hold your horses - It's 99% sure that one of them is Bangaa.

Did anybody else notice that the purple, snot-nosed creatures AREN'T Bangaa after all! I first thought so, but in a picture of Vaan there's a Bangaa and one of those pigmen side by side, and they don't look anything alike. Actually, the pigmen remind me more of Nu Mou...

Well, the REAL reason I posted this is that I found some quite fresh screenshots from a Japanese site, and I recognized the blue-skinned, angelic woman from them: it's the Totema Altima from FFTA!!! Here're the shots that prove it! I just wonder how they're going to use the über-powerful Totemas in the gameplay...

[Ben Holiday]

Watched the trailer for this just a few minutes back and came away feeling quite pleased hopefully this will be another I'll actually enjoy X, X-2 and XI were not the great games I had hoped. So I pray that this plays as good as it looks cause I am certainly ready to try my hand at a new installment with a different pace in gameplay and different battle system.