BlankChocobo
Dec 30 2008, 02:08 PM
From "Famitsu Weekly," issue #1048, dated 2009 1/9-16
We don't have scans of it, but among the 21 industry people Famitsu Weekly interviewed for their 2009 New Year Special Interview section was Yoshinori Kitase, in regards to his work on FF13 and other Square-Enix projects throughout the past year.
I'll post some stuff from the general article in a bit. Still working on it.
Here's the interview:
Interviewer (hereafter "I"): First of all, we'd like to hear what kind of year you've had.
Kitase (hereafter "K"): This year I was set to work on Sigma Harmonics and Final Fantasy Dissidia, two portable games.
I: What was your impression of the game industry as a whole this year?
K: That'll also turn into talk of portable games, but I can't help but think that this past year, portable game systems have become even more a 'typical' thing. That is, before the DS was released, playing portable games outside would get you a bunch of strange looks from others (he's talking about adults playing portables), but now it's totally normal for people to play.
I: I see. Incidentally, is there anything you observed in regards to already released (not sure if 'released' is the right word....) hardware?
K: Personally, I think the casual games available for download were fun, and I played them often. The few hundred yen price is quite nice. I also often buy extra content for games, haha.
I: Do you plan to add those elements to the games you're working on yourself, Mr. Kitase?
K: I wonder, haha. For example, with a game type like FF13, you really have to put the whole thing in one package, so it's not easy to do that (add extra content for purchase). If we made plans to make new downloadables, it would turn into a full blown game, I think.
I: Then, what kind of year do you think 2009 will be for you personally?
K: It's the year that XIII speeds toward facing completion. Together with that, I want to see the PS3['s popularity] gain ground, too. In spring, there's the plans for the demo to come out, so if we're (the industry) given the energy to speed both along, it would be great.
I: In order for the hardware to catch on, what do you think it needs more of?
K: Of course, having interesting and fun sftware for the system would make users think "I want to play those games."
I: If that [software] was FFXIII, that would be great, wouldn't it?
K: Of course, if FFXIII became a reason for people to buy a PS3, I would be most happy. From FFXIII's announcement until now, weve shown much pre-rendered material. However, after we get into 2009, I'm thinking we'll be showing more realtime rendered material. In the demo, I want to show the definite form of FFXIII, and gradually build on the game from there.
I: In the demo, to what degree will we be able to play?
K: There's still quite some time before the game comes out, so the demo will probably extend to 'pinning down the foundations,' but I believe you will be able to properly experience 'the new Final Fantasy on the Playstation 3.' By all means, please try it out.
I: So 2009 will be a year focused on FFXIII, it seems?
K: 3rd Birthday and Agito XIII are also being developed side by side [with FFXIII], but it's certain that the focus will be more on XIII. The entire work is quite large, and it will still take some time, but it seems the base pieces have been finished, and it seems like the completion is coming into view.
I: It seems 2009 will be quite busy, doesn't it?
K: Constructiing the foundation of FFXIII has taken a long period of time, so I want this year to be the one to bring the fruits of our labor, I think. Also, for people to feel the force of FFXIII as a unified work, we'll be doing various promotions. Right now, the public isn't very involved, but we need to push FFXIII out into the light, I think. If we produce a great work and rouse demand [for games], Japan's economy could brighten up, maybe, haha. By all means, I'd love to see the game industry pull up the economy, you know?
Here's summary from a couple pages out of the article:
Famitsu agrees that Vanille is a L'cie.
They also mention that Vanille has "seen" the mission, and that they think it is the same mission as Lightning's and Snow's.
They suggest that Vanille's pink outfit is reflective of Pulse society.
They refer to the scary looking white armored soldier as a '"Special Tactics Expert" officer-class soldier'.
Famitsu (like Dengeki) also mentions beginning battle by contact with the enemy.
With one of Lightning's attacks, multiple damage numbers appeared. It seems like multi hit attacks are more important than they used to be.
"Uchiage" - 'Launch' is a selectable attack next to "Tatakau" - "Attack." They explain Uchiage as the ability to launch an enemy in the air and then continue a string of attacks as an air combo. As Mercy0001 already said, depending on the order of the commands you choose, you will get a different combo.
In an alternate menu set which appears in the screenshot where Lightning is being attacked by the Manasvin's lightning laser thing, Lightning's command options are "Waza" (Skills), "Black Magic" and "White Magic." The explanation for "Skills" is 'strike with equipped weapons.'
Famitsu thinks the bar below Lightning's name that Dengeki couldn't figure out is your possessed ATB stock, the amount you can spend on commands.
When in the command issuing stage, Triangle button will execute issued commands.
As soon as you come to selecting commands, you can choose to change Lightning's weapon from sword to gun, or gun to sword.
The bar over the selectable commands displays all the commands that have been selected, so during an enemy's turn, the bar is empty because Lightning has already executed her commands.
They speculate that Lightning has an 'area of effect' attack she can do with her sword. In a screenshot, with one "Attack" command, several damage numbers are displayed. It seems that she can strike multiple enemies with one sword slash when they are clustered together. (An AoE attack is an attack that hits multiple enemies within a certain distance from the attack's selected target)
They suggest two screenshots show a backstep evasion and counterattack maneuver.
They seem unsure whether "BREAK" means the chain has been broken, or a limit break has occured/is available.
They wonder if the BONUS xxx% is related to her "Overclock" ability, and wonder if the percentage number is a speed up bonus.
They suggest analyzing abilities like Libra won't be necessary, as Name and HP are already displayed on enemies.
The big metal boss with the razor wheels' full name is "Heavy Assault Rider Manasvin." They suggest that due to its search lights located on its underside, it may also be used for patrol. The photos haven't shown it attacking with anything but its lasers, but they suggest the razor wheels and thorn-like spines lining its tail limb are also weapons at its disposal.
They do say it appears Lightning uses her weapon in her right hand and magic in her left. Obvious from the screens, but Cure is also at her disposal.
They note that the camera angle changes to follow the excecuted commands smoothly.
We don't have scans of it, but among the 21 industry people Famitsu Weekly interviewed for their 2009 New Year Special Interview section was Yoshinori Kitase, in regards to his work on FF13 and other Square-Enix projects throughout the past year.
I'll post some stuff from the general article in a bit. Still working on it.
Here's the interview:
Interviewer (hereafter "I"): First of all, we'd like to hear what kind of year you've had.
Kitase (hereafter "K"): This year I was set to work on Sigma Harmonics and Final Fantasy Dissidia, two portable games.
I: What was your impression of the game industry as a whole this year?
K: That'll also turn into talk of portable games, but I can't help but think that this past year, portable game systems have become even more a 'typical' thing. That is, before the DS was released, playing portable games outside would get you a bunch of strange looks from others (he's talking about adults playing portables), but now it's totally normal for people to play.
I: I see. Incidentally, is there anything you observed in regards to already released (not sure if 'released' is the right word....) hardware?
K: Personally, I think the casual games available for download were fun, and I played them often. The few hundred yen price is quite nice. I also often buy extra content for games, haha.
I: Do you plan to add those elements to the games you're working on yourself, Mr. Kitase?
K: I wonder, haha. For example, with a game type like FF13, you really have to put the whole thing in one package, so it's not easy to do that (add extra content for purchase). If we made plans to make new downloadables, it would turn into a full blown game, I think.
I: Then, what kind of year do you think 2009 will be for you personally?
K: It's the year that XIII speeds toward facing completion. Together with that, I want to see the PS3['s popularity] gain ground, too. In spring, there's the plans for the demo to come out, so if we're (the industry) given the energy to speed both along, it would be great.
I: In order for the hardware to catch on, what do you think it needs more of?
K: Of course, having interesting and fun sftware for the system would make users think "I want to play those games."
I: If that [software] was FFXIII, that would be great, wouldn't it?
K: Of course, if FFXIII became a reason for people to buy a PS3, I would be most happy. From FFXIII's announcement until now, weve shown much pre-rendered material. However, after we get into 2009, I'm thinking we'll be showing more realtime rendered material. In the demo, I want to show the definite form of FFXIII, and gradually build on the game from there.
I: In the demo, to what degree will we be able to play?
K: There's still quite some time before the game comes out, so the demo will probably extend to 'pinning down the foundations,' but I believe you will be able to properly experience 'the new Final Fantasy on the Playstation 3.' By all means, please try it out.
I: So 2009 will be a year focused on FFXIII, it seems?
K: 3rd Birthday and Agito XIII are also being developed side by side [with FFXIII], but it's certain that the focus will be more on XIII. The entire work is quite large, and it will still take some time, but it seems the base pieces have been finished, and it seems like the completion is coming into view.
I: It seems 2009 will be quite busy, doesn't it?
K: Constructiing the foundation of FFXIII has taken a long period of time, so I want this year to be the one to bring the fruits of our labor, I think. Also, for people to feel the force of FFXIII as a unified work, we'll be doing various promotions. Right now, the public isn't very involved, but we need to push FFXIII out into the light, I think. If we produce a great work and rouse demand [for games], Japan's economy could brighten up, maybe, haha. By all means, I'd love to see the game industry pull up the economy, you know?
Here's summary from a couple pages out of the article:
Famitsu agrees that Vanille is a L'cie.
They also mention that Vanille has "seen" the mission, and that they think it is the same mission as Lightning's and Snow's.
They suggest that Vanille's pink outfit is reflective of Pulse society.
They refer to the scary looking white armored soldier as a '"Special Tactics Expert" officer-class soldier'.
Famitsu (like Dengeki) also mentions beginning battle by contact with the enemy.
With one of Lightning's attacks, multiple damage numbers appeared. It seems like multi hit attacks are more important than they used to be.
"Uchiage" - 'Launch' is a selectable attack next to "Tatakau" - "Attack." They explain Uchiage as the ability to launch an enemy in the air and then continue a string of attacks as an air combo. As Mercy0001 already said, depending on the order of the commands you choose, you will get a different combo.
In an alternate menu set which appears in the screenshot where Lightning is being attacked by the Manasvin's lightning laser thing, Lightning's command options are "Waza" (Skills), "Black Magic" and "White Magic." The explanation for "Skills" is 'strike with equipped weapons.'
Famitsu thinks the bar below Lightning's name that Dengeki couldn't figure out is your possessed ATB stock, the amount you can spend on commands.
When in the command issuing stage, Triangle button will execute issued commands.
As soon as you come to selecting commands, you can choose to change Lightning's weapon from sword to gun, or gun to sword.
The bar over the selectable commands displays all the commands that have been selected, so during an enemy's turn, the bar is empty because Lightning has already executed her commands.
They speculate that Lightning has an 'area of effect' attack she can do with her sword. In a screenshot, with one "Attack" command, several damage numbers are displayed. It seems that she can strike multiple enemies with one sword slash when they are clustered together. (An AoE attack is an attack that hits multiple enemies within a certain distance from the attack's selected target)
They suggest two screenshots show a backstep evasion and counterattack maneuver.
They seem unsure whether "BREAK" means the chain has been broken, or a limit break has occured/is available.
They wonder if the BONUS xxx% is related to her "Overclock" ability, and wonder if the percentage number is a speed up bonus.
They suggest analyzing abilities like Libra won't be necessary, as Name and HP are already displayed on enemies.
The big metal boss with the razor wheels' full name is "Heavy Assault Rider Manasvin." They suggest that due to its search lights located on its underside, it may also be used for patrol. The photos haven't shown it attacking with anything but its lasers, but they suggest the razor wheels and thorn-like spines lining its tail limb are also weapons at its disposal.
They do say it appears Lightning uses her weapon in her right hand and magic in her left. Obvious from the screens, but Cure is also at her disposal.
They note that the camera angle changes to follow the excecuted commands smoothly.