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[CamHostage]

Didn't SE already walk back the Hitman episodic stuff after the backlash? Wtf are they thinking.

Hitman is still episodic, far as I know. In a little bit of a similar situation, there was a lot of confusion and backlash at the episodic plan, but in that case the backlash died down a bit when Square Enix had more opportunity to explain the situation a little bit and show gameplay that proved (or tried to prove) how it was still Hitman as expected. (The delay may have given them time to put a more clearly-defined retail product together, but if you look at the Amazon Hitman page for example, there's still the same gameplan for better or worse. GameStop is only selling digital subscriptions to Hitman, they don't have a boxed game yet for pre-order.)

 

[Scrooged]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, "HD towns are hard," I get it. It's rough out there for SE these days. I'm still not going to be buying Final Fantasy VII: Early Access. Because that's all this is. An unfinished game being sold to consumers with a promise that the rest is going to come - and since this is SE - come at a reasonable rate of release.

The problem here is the obvious to anybody who thinks about it for a second. If they have to break it apart because suddenly a 20 year old game simply has too much content, that means they'll still be working on future installments when they release Episode One. And have you met SE? Given their history, how can anybody, with a straight face, believe that they'll be able to push out the other pieces at a reasonable rate?

And let's say this breaks ground for them and that becomes a possibility. So? We're still paying for pieces of a game. Meanwhile, every other RPG on the face of the planet somehow manages to sell itself as a complete experience. We wouldn't stand for MGSV being sold to us in fractions. Or Dragon Age: Inquisition being sold by the area, with the story dependent on being split across the series.

I simply don't care about their front-facing excuses and "please understands." It's all bullshit, and it's not bullshit we'd tolerate under any other circumstances. That's my entire point. They're doing this because they know they can, because no matter what they did here - short of making it a mobile on game or something - fans are still going to buy it, still going to defend it and still pretend that it's a great thing that when they leave Midgar they're faced with "Thanks for playing, see you again in Episode 2: Nibelheim Burns"

Thank you.

 

[HeelPower]

So are they planning multiple sequels(a trilogy for example) or are they planning to split a single into a episodic releases.

Its really frustrating and elusive at this point.Seems like they didn't decide the structure to begin with.

They are describing it in the most round about way imaginable.

 

[lifeexpectancy]

You're welcome to look at those games as examples of ways to remake (or rather remaster) a game. The fact remains, however, that Final Fantasy VII Remake does not follow that template.

Rather, it follows the template of remakes like BSG or The Departed or Resident Evil GC. Lots of things will be similar, but the effort is being put into making something new for a new generation instead of re-executing the product that spawned it.

...Also, not to get on your case, but it's in your head this idea that Square presented it as a perfect remastering of the exact game you played in 1997. Some version of the old game overlayed with new polygons and textures, it sounds pretty to say, but it's not ever what Remake was "introduced as". Go back and watch the presentation. Read the press release. It's all still there.

https://youtu.be/XfYr3Jw1LgQ?t=84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieB51rHpQ4Q
http://press.na.square-enix.com/releases/469/square-enix-announces-final-fantasy-vii-remake

And by the way, soon after the E3 presentation, Square Enix made it clear that FF VII Remake was going to play differently and would have story differences. Within days, it was clear that Remake was not the same game. And now, it should be abundantly clear.

The sooner you accept that Remake is not the remastering you wanted, that it's a new game remade in its image, the less frustrating it'll be to either accept it, or let it go and cancel your pre-order. You don't want to be on GAF for the next few years going, "WHAT! That's different too?!?"

Assumptions are nice aren't they? Or perhaps you misread what I wrote. I only mentioned H2A as an example of a remaster/remake that was more than just "uprez'd textures". I never, not once, said that SE introduced FFVIIr as something like H2A with a new engine running on top of the original game. That would be silly. What I SAID, was that they introduced this as FFVII Remake, not some 'spiritual successor' or 'wholly different game'.

If chopping it up into episodes and changing the battle from turn-based to realtime winds up veering it so far from the original as to be a completely different experience, then they shouldn't have introduced it the way that they did.

Also I was more or less ok with story and battle tweaks anyway, but now it feels like they're crossing a line. Acting like it has to be split up into multiple installments "because reasons" is a very shallow mask for "because greed". They're simply trying to milk the cow for all it's worth, and many of you are are gladly willing to roll over and give them your teets.

 

[Cmagus]

Looks like another pass for me. I don't mind if they wanted to play around with the combat but I'm tired of episodic content and they really couldn't have picked a worse game to do this glad they released the FF7 PS4 version I guess.

 

[Shouta]

I'd be okay with this since all the parts came out within close proximity to each other (6 months).
I want to say I want to get them all when they release all of them but I might be too excited to play and buy them as they release lol.

I mean if it's 3 parts then a full year to get the game with 6 months in between each release would be good.

 

[Boke1879]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, "HD towns are hard," I get it. It's rough out there for SE these days. I'm still not going to be buying Final Fantasy VII: Early Access. Because that's all this is. An unfinished game being sold to consumers with a promise that the rest is going to come - and since this is SE - come at a reasonable rate of release.

The problem here is the obvious to anybody who thinks about it for a second. If they have to break it apart because suddenly a 20 year old game simply has too much content, that means they'll still be working on future installments when they release Episode One. And have you met SE? Given their history, how can anybody, with a straight face, believe that they'll be able to push out the other pieces at a reasonable rate?

And let's say this breaks ground for them and that becomes a possibility. So? We're still paying for pieces of a game. Meanwhile, every other RPG on the face of the planet somehow manages to sell itself as a complete experience. We wouldn't stand for MGSV being sold to us in fractions. Or Dragon Age: Inquisition being sold by the area, with the story dependent on being split across the series.

I simply don't care about their front-facing excuses and "please understands." It's all bullshit, and it's not bullshit we'd tolerate under any other circumstances. That's my entire point. They're doing this because they know they can, because no matter what they did here - short of making it a mobile on game or something - fans are still going to buy it, still going to defend it and still pretend that it's a great thing that when they leave Midgar they're faced with "Thanks for playing, see you again in Episode 2: Nibelheim Burns"

Yea we did. We bought GZ and MGSV itself is clearly incomplete due to what many believe is a bloated budget.

MGSV being sold in fractions might have been better for it overall. At least we may have gotten a complete game lol. But yea considering what happened with Versus I know SE doesn't want that situation again, and they are also developing KH3. They probably don't want another game in dev for 5 or 6 years with all the content a FF7 remake would bring because it would cost too much to make and even then you'd have to hope it sold upwards of 10 million units.

 

[Nintendoga]

Thinking about it, would anybody really have been disappointed or cared if the remake was multi disc? I'd be fine with two or so discs.

 

[kayos90]

I mean if it's 3 parts then a full year to get the game with 6 months in between each release would be good.

6 months might be... generous.

 

[kurahador]

Really?

I was hoping for 3, tops.

Well assuming the contents is going to be long and meaty in those 3 parts, I have a hard time imagining it'll be less than $40 each.
Best case scenario is they follow FFXIV Heavensward pricing model, $30.

 

[SunBroDave]

I'd be okay with this since all the parts came out within close proximity to each other (6 months).
I want to say I want to get them all when they release all of them but I might be too excited to play and buy them as they release lol.

But if episode 1 is out next winter and the following two episodes are out in increments of 6 months following that, I'd rather just get the whole thing Holiday 2017. There's no shortage of games to play in the meantime, and I'd rather get the whole product at once than a hamstrung version padded out to make three standalone releases.

 

[Barakov]

Seems like they're taking cues from IO Interactive.

The wrong cues mind you.

 

[wmlk]

I don't even mind.

Just make it good Square. You have a lot of goodwill after what's been shown so far so I trust you keep it up.

 

[TalentBurke]

Final Destiny VII: Remake. I'll be saving my money until the game is actually completed.

 

[CosmicGroinPull]

I'm fine with this if it means I get to play it earlier.

Heck, it's not like we don't already know how the story ends.

I'll still buy the shit out of each 'chapter'. 2 or 3 parts, whatever.

 

[Sesuadra]

as long as they leave crossdressing and all that fun stuff in the game..

 

[WanderingWind]

Yea we did. We bought GZ and MGSV itself is clearly incomplete due to what many believe is a bloated budget.

MGSV being sold in fractions might have been better for it overall. At least we may have gotten a complete game lol. But yea considering what happened with Versus I know SE doesn't want that situation again, and they are also developing KH3. They probably don't want another game in dev for 5 or 6 years with all the content a FF7 remake would bring because it would cost too much to make and even then you'd have to hope it sold upwards of 10 million units.

No, sorry. MGSV was a complete game, with a story that went from start to finish. Yes, there was a cut chapter that would have made more sense to have been included, but it was not episodic. And I used MGSV very deliberately because even that removal caused great outrage. It was part of the ongoing #FuckKonami trend. To my knowledge (and if I'm wrong here, please understand) it hasn't been reintroduced as Episode 3 of the MGSV franchise.

...and if you paid for Ground Zeroes, well, we can make a whole other thread about paying for demos. That's not real relevant here. So, if that becomes a sticking point in a multi-paragraph argument, lets use other lengthy games. Dragon Age. Divinity. Fallout 4. Witcher 3. Xenoblade. Xenoblade X. Etc.

 

[GlamFM]

Thought about it for a bit.

This still has the potential to be amazing.

It all comes down to one question:

Will there be a world map?

Is there exploration or is it a linear game?

 

[Shouta]

6 months might be... generous.

It really depends on when they intend on releasing the first part, if it's soon then yeah. 6 months would be way too little time between each chapter. If they don't intend on releasing the first part for awhile, I can see them getting ahead on creating the content for the game and then just partitioning it off for release as necessary.

If they really want to do a year between releases, then the parts need to be very full with content.

 

[wmlk]

WHAT? 7 parts???

That many?

 

[DarkLordMalik]

FTFY

LOL. This GIF is gonna get a lot of use xD

 

[CosmicGroinPull]

as long as they leave crossdressing and all that fun stuff in the game..

This.

And.. I remember someone speculated that we may get to control and party member we want? So, the sooner I can control Tifa around a nice highly detailed open map, while panning the camera around her (for research purposes), the better.

 

[Vegito]

I don't even mind.

Just make it good Square. You have a lot of goodwill after what's been shown so far so I trust you keep it up.

This. We're all mad now but by the time part 1 comes out most of us will be lining up day 1 to buy it. lol

 

[Ghost Slayer]

WHAT? 7 parts???

That many?

It's a joke. Mods just want to have fun

 

[Olengie]

Will wait for the "Complete" release

 

[AwShucks]

Hearing the reasons I'm not that upset anymore. It sounds like a full one time release would have some things truncated. Releasing episodic to make sure the full thing gets redone is OK I guess. Unfortunately Square probably just can't afford to keep these games in development without making any money.

 

[Footos22]

I'm OK With this if it's not a strictly linear affair. I know midgar was anyway but outside of that if they have removed the world map as we know it I'll be pissed.

 

[Chibot]

This is only good news for the impatient among us. And even then, I don't see how anyone could honestly want this. What kind of sense does it make to suggest that content would have to be cut to make it a single release? The game is too big? If so, make it multi-disc like the original. Take your time and finish the damn game. We were all expecting a long wait anyway.

Having this release in episodes threatens the cohesiveness of the world and could greatly limit freedom. It'll also undoubtedly make the game more expensive and could set an unfortunate precedent for the future.

Also, the idea of Midgar only being available in a first episode wouldn't work. It's accessible again later in the game.

 

[420bits]

Watch them charge 49.99 (or 59.99) for each part and with a releasespan that would make blizzards SC2-release pale in comparison

 

[Trace]

Honestly is makes sense, FFVII took like three years when a development timeline that long was unheard of, and the amount of content the remake will have to create is absurd. It makes sense from both a budget and a timeline perspective to make it in chunks.

That said I wish it was one huge game

 

[Frillen]

You're all going to have grown up kids before you play the end of this. I'm so glad I'm not a big fan of this company anymore. Even the battle system didn't look that good. I had hoped for an enhanced turn based battle system, instead of your average real time battle system seen in tons of third person action/RPGs these day.

 

[Parallacs]

Crisis Core'ish with episodes. My interest level is dropping like Aeris' Body.

 

[wmlk]

This. We're all mad now but by the time part 1 comes out most of us will be lining up day 1 to buy it. lol

Yep.

Although if I can't find the time to play it episodically, I can rest assured that I can wait until the complete release. S-E has trained me to wait for absurd periods.

 

[Xenus]

Bye, Mr. Dolphin

Sounds kinda promising overall. Glad to have confirmation on the CC2 thing, though I wonder what other companies are involved.

Yeah as long as it doesn't get cut Xenosaga style based on sales it should be ok. Mr dolphin might go bye bye but lord help me if they take away chocobo racing or the parade minigame.

Hopefully there if very little in the way of true cuts and things like the world map and the highwind make it.

I also would of liked someone to ask him about the materia system and the summons. As changing the battles to action style battles means at the very least some changes will need o made there.

 

[TalentBurke]

This is only good news for the impatient among us. And even then, I don't see how anyone could honestly want this. What kind of sense does it make to suggest that content would have to be cut to make it a single release? The game is too big? If so, make it multi-disc like the original. Take your time and finish the damn game. We were all expecting a long wait anyway.

Having this release in episodes threatens the cohesiveness of the world and could greatly limit freedom. It'll also undoubtedly make the game more expensive and could set an unfortunate precedent for the future.

Also, the idea of Midgar only being available in a first episode wouldn't work. It's accessible again later in the game.

This might be the future of gaming. If square enix successfully pulls this nonsense off I can see a GTA VI:episode 1 and such. Disgusting

 

[justjohn]

This is actually good news. Looks like we'd get it next year and hopefully yearly instalments

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

I actually thought this is what would happen after watching the trailer yesterday. Seemed like they were going in this direction.

Sucks but what can you do? I'm just happy it's actually happening.

 

[Darryl]

Hearing the reasons I'm not that upset anymore. It sounds like a full one time release would have some things truncated. Releasing episodic to make sure the full thing gets redone is OK I guess. Unfortunately Square probably just can't afford to keep these games in development without making any money.

You make it sound like remaking this game is some obligation and they need to do the original justice. Like modern day Square has any integrity whatsoever. They're "remaking" FF7 because it's a good way to cash out their old good will and they are making multiple releases because it's a more effective way to cash it out.

Edit:"remaking", like this game is actually a remake and not some way of repackaging their action game garbage

 

[valkyre]

This is hilarious lol! SE is gonna SE afterall...!

please...please be very excited!!

 

[BocoDragon]

Well assuming the contents is going to be long and meaty in those 3 parts, I have a hard time imagining it'll be less than $40 each.
Best case scenario is they follow FFXIV Heavensward pricing model, $30.

I think it's likely that it will just be ~3 full priced games.

FFVIIR = Lightning Trilogy

I think people thinking "cheaper/smaller episodic pieces" are probably incorrect....

 

[wmlk]

This really isn't good news or bad news until we see it come to fruition.

 

[cLOUDo]

so this is like the final fantasy from PSX era
but this time they sells every disc on separately?


what a time to be alive

 

[MayMay]

I think it's likely that it will just be ~3 full priced games.

FFVIIR = Lightning Trilogy

I think people thinking "cheaper/smaller episodic pieces" are probably incorrect....

Exactly what I'm thinking, too

 

[Falk]

Also lol do you think Square Enix is reading this shit?

 

[A-V-B]

 

[BocoDragon]

 

[Foffy]

It's still episodic, far as I know. In a little bit of a similar situation, there was a lot of confusion and backlash at the episodic plan, but in that case the backlash died down a bit when Square Enix had more opportunity to explain the situation a little bit and show gameplay that proved (or tried to prove) how it was still Hitman as expected. (The delay may have given them time to put a more clearly-defined retail product together, but if you look at the Amazon Hitman page for example, there's still the same gameplan for better or worse. GameStop is only selling digital subscriptions to Hitman, they don't have a boxed game yet for pre-order.)

Hitman is kinda different.

$60 means you're getting everything they plan for the game at just that cost.

You don't know where these episodic FFVII games will begin and end, for you're expected to buy them in multiple parts, on multiple discs I'd imagine.

 

[A-V-B]

Spoiler

 

[Kain]

I bet I know when one particular episode is going to end...

Waiting now for the inevitable PS5 complete edition remaster. Sigh...

 

[Ghost Slayer]

I bet I know when one particular episode is going to end...

Waiting now for the inevitable PS5 complete edition remaster. Sigh...

Will buy each episodes at launch and complete edition. I have no shame :3