Dengeki PS3 scan

[Naunen]

Courtesy of Lux in the chatbox.

Scan of interview: http://www3.vipper.org/vip1165601.jpg

EDIT: Link failed

Creator's voice: http://ranobe.com/up/src/up348920.jpg

http://ranobe.com/up/src/up348921.jpg

In case the links fail.

[Saki Liu]

Cant wait for the translations.

[josewilly]

thanx for scans

[liljc91091]

*********** UPDATE************
-MORE PARTS OF THE INTERVIEW TRANSLATED


A translation by Ryomatsu from PS3 forums


"When I first saw the quality of Sud's afro, I thought to myself that the PS3 really is different (lol)"

The Characters that Paint the Story
---Being the first SE title for the PS3, there's no doubt that the demo arriving later this month is garnering world wide attention. With the upcoming demo, what are your thoughts, currently?
Kitase: The demo master was finished around december last year. Thus, this demo should be played with the understanding that it is "FFXIII" as it was in 2008. Playing the demo will probably get gamers to thinking "I wonder if this is how the story is going to unfold in the full version?" and hopefully will increase the anticipation they currently have for the game even further. On that note, the final version is progressing very nicely. We're on the final stretch of development for various aspects.

---With the announcement of the demo, a lot of character information has been announced. First off, Lighting. She's the first female protagonist of this series right?
Kitase: If you look only at Lightning's design, she comes off as a cool woman; essentially the type of woman that a lot of men would have a problem handling. But with Sakamoto Maaya voicing her role, I believe a lot of nice femininity has been brought out of Lighting. Because Lightning is a swordsman, it was difficult balancing her modeling. We didn't want her to be too frail looking, but at the same time, we didn't want to make her a muscular macho either.

---So in the demo, you can also control Snow, but anything to say about his design?
Kitase: His character was pretty difficult as well. We originally wanted to make him a athletic nut that yells all the time with the personality of a delinquent ring leader. From there, we left behind the immature belligerent aspect, and worked on evolving the "big brother" aspect of him. Ono Daisuke's voice is perfect for Snow as well.

---What about Suds, who's garnering quite a bit of attention from all over?
Kitase: We had a pretty easy image of him from the begining (lol). Just that, in general, he appears to be positive and upbeat, but as the story progresses, we come to realize that he's carrying some weight of his own on his shoulders. Because of that, we decided to ask a veteran voice actor, Ehara Masashi, to play his role. He did a lot of ad libbing, and seems like he really got into the role.

---Finally Vanilla. She appears to have a story telling role as well?
Kitase: This title's story progresses with Vanilla's narration being sandwiched in between. In the past, we've had girls who've been upbeat and active like her, but due to the fact that she has a narrative role as well, she should have an aura slightly different from similar characters from the past. Because of this, we asked someone capable of acting both sides of her character, Fukui Yukari, to voice her role.

The Demo's new Battle
---I had the opportunity to play the demo and what I found quite impressive was the change into the battle scene being so quick that it almost felt seamless.
Kitase: The game isn't seamless, but I think it's quick enough for everyone to be content with it. Seamless battles are definitely possible, but, for example, due to special attacks and polygon counts for summons due to memory, there are various limitations that are bourne from trying to go seamless. But by having the battles be independant, it is possible to be, more or less, released from those memory limitations.

---The battle is based on the Active Time Battle (ATB), but it creates a sense of speed moreso than before.
Kitase: The battle system being speedy was initially proposed by the director, Toriyama, and Tsuchida was put in charge of dropping in FFX's battle system into the game. Combining command input resulting in flashy action and using the ATB Bar as the cost to do so and wrapping that up into one system that adds the fun of strategery (yes I know it's not a real word) is something we were aiming for from the beginning of development.

---So then, it's not really so much that you can do this because of the PS3, but rather you wanted the battle system to accomplish this so you were able to achieve this?
Kitase: Yes. The first image we had of "inputting a command resulting in a gracefully flowing set of chained attacks" has essentially been systemized in the current battle system.

An Uncompromising PS3
---With FFXIII, I've heard that you're aiming for even more movie-like expression than before?
Kitase: Up until now, scenes we wanted to have a sense of real-time were done in realtime and scenes which we wanted to have higher quality and presentation atmosphere were done with CG movies. But with the PS3, expressions that could once only be done with CG movies before, can be done in real-time. Thus, we've incorporated CG movie quality scenes that are drawn in realtime.

---Indeed, the quality is so high that it's very difficult tell the two apart, even if we were told so.
Kitase: Because of that, production became more difficult (lol).

---Does that mean production methods for the event scenes and what not have changed?
Kitase: They've changed. In the past, the planner also produced the events, but now we have a section that specializes in event cuts. The amount of work required increased drastically to the point where just the planner can no longer cover all the work required.

---By developing FFXIII for the PS3, what are some aspects you think have evolved greatly?
Kitase: Probably the graphics. The huge change from PS1 to PS2 was the number of polygons which could be output, resulting in further details in character design. But going from the PS2 to the PS3, the change is even more drastic. Primarily in texture (i think?). For example, FFXIII has a character named Suds who has an afro. When the character modelling was brought to me, I saw the quality of Sud's afro and thought to myself that the PS3 really is different (lol)". But yeah, in reality, the afro isn't due just to the PS3, but also due to the creativity of the designer. Also, skin and fur texture is quite amazing, Chocobo's plummage and Vanilla's skirt's cloth texture...that you can actually almost get a sense of what they might feel like in your hands are some of the many things that really surprise us.

---As a designer, how, specifically, do you have to be creative?
Kitase: With 3D graphic designing, there are people who deal with specific aspects. For example, trying to design Sud's afro as realistically as possible would be delegated to a certain group. In the case of the Afro, a person named Matsuno is in charge, but the design techniques from that may also be used in modelling grass in a plain to make it look more like a real plain. Aspects which we can't rely just on the PS3 power alone, need to be covered with our prior experiences.

---To ask the opposite, are there difficulties that cropped up because it was for the PS3?
Kitase: Up through the PS2, character modelling was very similar to being an extension of sprites, and it was important for the textures themselves to be relatively detailed. Even facial textures were used as they were being modified in photoshop. But with the PS3, realtime modelling is similar to designing a CG movie. Of particular importance is dropping in post-effects into a completed sequence. For example, the realtime effect of backlight pouring through foliage is something that can be done because we're working on the PS3. To show this as realistically as possible, these environmental effets are the most important aspect that cannot be compromised on, and simultaneously, take the most work and effort. Also, going off on a tangent, while moving around and during battles, you can move the camera around freely, but for example, grass blades, depending on angles, the polygon looks like a flat board. With the PS2, we could have said there was nothing we could really do about that, but at the PS3 level, we can't make those excuses. Because we didn't compromise on these aspects either, I believe the amount of work required increased.

---Finally, with FFXIII, how far do you think you've been able to tap into the PS3?
Kitase: Maybe about 50% in the demo? Of course by the time the final version rolls along, I believe we'll be close to 100% of the PS3's potential. Like with FFVII on PS and FFX on PS2, we're always working our hardest to use the full potential of the hardware at that point in time.

---Speaking of which, you're using Bluray now with PS3, but have you run into any storage space difficulties?
Kitase: Only as to whether we'd use a 1 or 2 layer disc, but that's about it. Add to that, with the PS3, you have a hard drive too. If anything, we struggled more with the memory aspect.

And Finally, for those waiting for the Demo and Final Release
---If you could leave a few words for the fans awaiting the demo and final release.
Kitase: The demo battle system's ATB is only showing the basic aspects so only about 50% of what will be in the final game is implemented. The story that's included is also only a very superficial part. But I think it will be a good show of what can be expected of the final product. Please enjoy the demo and I hope you will be waiting in anticipation for the full version.


Toriyama Motomu Interview
Spoiler:

Demo that Shows the Battle's Atmosphere
---Can we consider the battle part in the demo to be pretty close to the release version?
Toriyama: Yes. The demo's designed so you can experience the basic system in its entirety. The new Active Time Battle (ATB) sensation, I feel, can be experienced in the demo. Furthermore, this game does not have a seamless battle system like FFXII, but the change into battle is very rapid and has been designed to play with a similar sensation to a seamless system. Of course, moving out of battle is also very smooth, so from a data access/reading point of view, one should be able to play this stress-free.

---In the demo, is it the beginning of the story that's being depicted?
Toriyama: Yes. The story progresses from Lightning and Snow's viewpoint. The beginning starts with an emergency situation called "Purge", and no further information is given so you cannot make sense of the situation when you start off. It's just a very small part of the beginning of the entire game. Thus, at the conclusion of the demo, gamers will have only seen bits and pieces of the story leaving a lot of questions to be answered. We'd like for you to think about the story, but the main aspect of this demo will be to enjoy the battle system

---In regards to FF13's new ATB; the concept of chaining multiple attacks, as well as overpowering your opponent with a Break is a neat concept.
Toriyama: Chains are essentially multiple attacks strung together, and the more you chain, the more your damage goes up in relation to the chain length. Each spell and attack has a chain counter extension rate, so try all sorts of combinations to determine how to easily chain your attacks. And in regards to breaks. This will occur after you've chained a certain amount. Enemies which have been "broken" not only take more damage, but can be lifted off the ground. This is in the official trailer as well, but using this, it really makes downing an enemy exhilarating. At the end of a battle, you will recieve a rating of your battle which will result in a higher rating if you mix in chains and breaks, so please aim for that. Ideally, you would use magics in which you could increase your chain count rather easily, then once the enemy "breaks", lift it off the ground immediately. Then finish the enemy off...by doing so, you can go through the battle rather stylishly. The additional attack after lifting the enemy off the ground does more damage than normal, thus it 's important to use during a boss fight.

---Speaking of which, can any monster be lifted off the ground?
Toriyama: Actually, each moster has a weight value associated with it, so very large monsters are difficult to lift off the ground. For something like Behemoth as an opponent, it becomes important to plan your attacks to increase your chain count and fight strategically. But in the demo, we want you to have a taste of speed and exhilaration, so you can go through it without thinking too hard. From a strategic standpoing, there will be a newer and deeper system that is planned to be implemented in the final release. In the demo, just enjoy the basics of chainig various commands and realizing that different combinations will change the battle drastically.

---Characters that are rather speedy feel to have a higher difficulty associated with them compared to before
Toriyama: In the demo, the balance is a bit on the easy side, but in the final release, specifically referring to the battle, the difficulty has been raised slightly, and may be a little more easy to end up with a Game Over than before. But there's a retry command implemented that will take you to immediately before the battle so don't worry. The easier balancing is so you can try out various playstyle customizations and strategies in the demo.

The Details in Production
---Are there any scenes that you should watch out for?
Toriyama: The situation changes in realtime as yo move around. If you hear a lound noise behind you and look around, you can see a plane plummetting. Also, Suds leads the way for Lightning at times, but when he points down towards something, please try to get to that location quickly. You will be able to see a real time battle going on.

---You can move the camera in realtime while moving around, but can you do this in battle as well?
Toriyama: Of course. You can move the camera around freely so please find a cool angle for yourself to use. During certain commands, such as lifting an enemy off the ground, the camera angle changes, so there shouldn't be any instance that makes the action difficult to see. Also, we've really worked on the details of magic spell graphics. For example, a fire based spell might leave smoke at where it landed or blizzard spells might leave shards of ice scattered about for a while.

---Is the battle music in the demo the same as that in the final release?
Toriyama: The music in the demo is planned to be used in the same scenes of the final product. On that note, the demo will not contain the standard post-battle fanfare, but in the final product, there will be a fanfare arrangement specifically arranged for FFXIII so please look forward to it. In terms of a victory pose...that's still under discussion (lol).

Secrets of the World Revealed
---What part of the Cocoon do Lightning and co. go crazy in?
Toriyama: It's the very bottom level of the spherical Cocoon. It's not really a place normal citizens would step foot into. In the image below, I think you can see water, but that's really like an underground lake. The location used in the demo uses a somewhat dark palette, but in the interior of the Cocoon, there are bright/festive(?) towns and what not.

---How is the social structure inside the Cocoon?
Toriyama: From the images, one might get the feeling that the Church's militia is supressing its citizens, but the militia acts more like the police force of the Cocoon. They're not really controlling the citizens. If anything, they take care of any monsters that infiltrate the Cocoon. Also, due to Falcie(?), a close to utopian society exists inside the Cocoon.

---Can you describe the existance of Falcie in this world?
Toriyama: Falcie is not something that cannot be seen and exists as matter. In the demo, you can verify Pulse's falcie, but this shape is only but one example. In the final release, Falcie will appear in various forms so please look forward to that.

---Do different monsters appear in the Cocoon and Pulse?
Toriyama: Divided rather largely, there are 3 types of monsters; monsters of pulse, the feral monsters inside the Cocoon, and the monsters that the church's miltia own, but the designs are all different. The monsters that the militia own are designed with over-technology, thus are a fusion of beast and machinery. In this game, monsters you're familiar with have changed greatly from a visual perspective. You've seen Behemoth in previous images, but things like Goblins that this series cannot be without are other monsters to look forward to. Well...just Sabotender (dunno what the western name is) has increased texture detail but basically still looks the same (lol).

---What's the highlight of the demo?
Toriyama: One part I'd like for you to pay particular attention to is the battle part. We've just really focused on creating a sense of exhilaration so we really want for you to have a taste of it. Upon breaking, there's a lot of information that pops up, and you might be a bit overwhelmed. First try to fight however you want to fight, and once you get used to it a bit, start taking into account the chain gauge and breaking; this will increase the strategic aspect of the game. Furthermore, if you start taking into account your party's actions, you'll be able to experience a very stylishly flowing action battle. From a story perspective, the highlight is Lightning and co.'s appearance. There's alot of heavy action right from the get go so please pay attention to it.

Further Evolution in the Final Release
---This is in regards to the battle system, but are there aspects that are not in the demo that might still be modified?
Toriyama: The command part has already gone through various iterations. With your first battle in the demo, you might have a bit of a problem trying to select the enemy or using white (holy in the west?) magic, but this has been rectified in the final product, so don't worry. We're also looking into implementing shortcut-type functions to make command accessibility easier.

---Can you command your party in detail?
Toriyama: In FFXII's gambit system, you prepared before the battle, but in FFXIII, we're thinking of how to adapt to the changing battle.

---In that regards, can you change the character you control freely in the middle of battle?
Toriyama: I can't comment on that in detail yet, but a new system will be implemented.

---We couldn't verify character growth in the demo, but it doesn't seem like character growth is going to be limited to just learning new attacks and spells?
Toriyama: Of course, characters will gain new skills and magic as they grow. Just, please wait for future information on how the characters are raised. Of course, it's not just straight levelling, but we expect to implement a some type of system as was done with the Sphere Board in FFX and Licensed Board in FFXII. Going off on a tangent, but this game's menu system is pretty amazing. I said the traditional blue background with white borders was fine, but the staff worked hard and created a completely fresh menu screen.

---Finally, with the upcoming demo release and fans awaiting the final release, if you could give them a message or 2.
Toriyama: In the demo, we've finally been able to make public the battle system, but bear in mind that it's the very basic battle system. Including what's not encompassed in the demo, the final product will have further polish. I'd like for you to enjoy the demo from both the battle and story side of the game in hopes that it'll increase your anticipation for the final release.

[Saki Liu]

Wtf. Suds?
Well, sounds cool anywayz.

[Shock]

Damn, that is awesome. TY Lux for these scans, Nau for uploading this and LilJ for linking that translation. All I've got to say is WOW!

[mercy0001]

great thank you! 50% and it looks already soo good!!

[Sadistic]

A translation by Ryomatsu from PS3 forums

The Characters that Paint the Story
---Being the first SE title for the PS3, there's no doubt that the demo arriving later this month is garnering world wide attention. With the upcoming demo, what are your thoughts, currently?
Kitase: The demo master was finished around december last year. Thus, this demo should be played with the understanding that it is "FFXIII" as it was in 2008. Playing the demo will probably get gamers to thinking "I wonder if this is how the story is going to unfold in the full version?" and hopefully will increase the anticipation they currently have for the game even further. On that note, the final version is progressing very nicely. We're on the final stretch of development for various aspects.

Well, it's good to hear they're making decent progress. xD

---With the announcement of the demo, a lot of character information has been announced. First off, Lighting. She's the first female protagonist of this series right?
Kitase: If you look only at Lightning's design, she comes off as a cool woman; essentially the type of woman that a lot of men would have a problem handling. But with Sakamoto Maaya voicing her role, I believe a lot of nice femininity has been brought out of Lighting. Because Lightning is a swordsman, it was difficult balancing her modeling. We didn't want her to be too frail looking, but at the same time, we didn't want to make her a muscular macho either.

Lighting is going to become my favourite Final Fantasy protagonist. :awesome:

---So in the demo, you can also control Snow, but anything to say about his design?
Kitase: His character was pretty difficult as well. We originally wanted to make him a athletic nut that yells all the time with the personality of a delinquent ring leader. From there, we left behind the immature belligerent aspect, and worked on evolving the "big brother" aspect of him. Ono Daisuke's voice is perfect for Snow as well.

Snow may be my favourite character in FFXIII so far. :aldo:

---The battle is based on the Active Time Battle (ATB), but it creates a sense of speed moreso than before.
Kitase: The battle system being speedy was initially proposed by the director, Toriyama, and Tsuchida was put in charge of dropping in FFX's battle system into the game. Combining command input resulting in flashy action and using the ATB Bar as the cost to do so and wrapping that up into one system that adds the fun of strategery (yes I know it's not a real word) is something we were aiming for from the beginning of development.

Hmm...

-Camera has free movement both on the field map and while moving

Woo, I guess xD

-Traveling on the fieldmap progresses in real time, ie. if you hear something behind you and look back, you might see a plane crashed

When I first read this my anticipation for this game began to spike.

-If you look towards the direction Suds(?) is pointing, you can see other parties battling in real time

This got me even more excited...

-A lot of magic special effects, charred effect from fire spells, left over shards of ice after blizzard spells, etc

This has been one of my big wants for Final Fantasy XIII. <3

Kitase
-Demo was completed at the end of last year

*Choke*

-Great plains are modeled down to the grass.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaa............... :awesome:

-Environmental effects including creating the presence of air surrounding you was possible because of the PS3 hardware

Seriously, the enviroments are going to look brain-meltingly incredible. I hope rumble plays a part somewhere.

-Demo is using only about 50% of PS3 potential. Final version will be close to 100%

I feel kinda faint now...

I also need to remove all those game saves from my PS3 that'll never be played again. :aldo:

-Were there any space problems with Blu-ray? No...the demo version only has about 50% of the new ATB (active battle system?) features implemented, but we can still show you how amazing it is.

.................

This is the most excited I've been for any game. I still want to know the name of Sazh' Chocobo though. :wtf:

[chaosblade77]

So that explains what was meant about using the PS3's potential. Essentially, they just mean they are getting all of the juice out of it they can at the time if they are comparing this to FFVII and FFX.

Seeing as those are the least technically impressive FF games on their respective consoles, it's not unlikely that future SquareEnix games that use the Crystal Tools engine will make better use of the hardware.

Or, more simply, it's just "talk" that doesn't mean anything in order to make the game sound better.

[Espada_Assassin]

There is a Japanese person on this forum who is translating all the Interviews when he has the time

http://www.psu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199003

Apparently there around 4-5 sepereate Interviews.

[kakalakingma]

Thank you so much for the translation, liljc91091!

[Sabin]

Toriyama interview translated, from the same source as the other translation.

Demo that Shows the Battle's Atmosphere
---Can we consider the battle part in the demo to be pretty close to the release version?
Toriyama: Yes. The demo's designed so you can experience the basic system in its entirety. The new Active Time Battle (ATB) sensation, I feel, can be experienced in the demo. Furthermore, this game does not have a seamless battle system like FFXII, but the change into battle is very rapid and has been designed to play with a similar sensation to a seamless system. Of course, moving out of battle is also very smooth, so from a data access/reading point of view, one should be able to play this stress-free.

---In the demo, is it the beginning of the story that's being depicted?
Toriyama: Yes. The story progresses from Lightning and Snow's viewpoint. The beginning starts with an emergency situation called "Purge", and no further information is given so you cannot make sense of the situation when you start off. It's just a very small part of the beginning of the entire game. Thus, at the conclusion of the demo, gamers will have only seen bits and pieces of the story leaving a lot of questions to be answered. We'd like for you to think about the story, but the main aspect of this demo will be to enjoy the battle system

---In regards to FF13's new ATB; the concept of chaining multiple attacks, as well as overpowering your opponent with a Break is a neat concept.
Toriyama: Chains are essentially multiple attacks strung together, and the more you chain, the more your damage goes up in relation to the chain length. Each spell and attack has a chain counter extension rate, so try all sorts of combinations to determine how to easily chain your attacks. And in regards to breaks. This will occur after you've chained a certain amount. Enemies which have been "broken" not only take more damage, but can be lifted off the ground. This is in the official trailer as well, but using this, it really makes downing an enemy exhilarating. At the end of a battle, you will recieve a rating of your battle which will result in a higher rating if you mix in chains and breaks, so please aim for that. Ideally, you would use magics in which you could increase your chain count rather easily, then once the enemy "breaks", lift it off the ground immediately. Then finish the enemy off...by doing so, you can go through the battle rather stylishly. The additional attack after lifting the enemy off the ground does more damage than normal, thus it 's important to use during a boss fight.

---Speaking of which, can any monster be lifted off the ground?
Toriyama: Actually, each moster has a weight value associated with it, so very large monsters are difficult to lift off the ground. For something like Behemoth as an opponent, it becomes important to plan your attacks to increase your chain count and fight strategically. But in the demo, we want you to have a taste of speed and exhilaration, so you can go through it without thinking too hard. From a strategic standpoing, there will be a newer and deeper system that is planned to be implemented in the final release. In the demo, just enjoy the basics of chainig various commands and realizing that different combinations will change the battle drastically.

---Characters that are rather speedy feel to have a higher difficulty associated with them compared to before
Toriyama: In the demo, the balance is a bit on the easy side, but in the final release, specifically referring to the battle, the difficulty has been raised slightly, and may be a little more easy to end up with a Game Over than before. But there's a retry command implemented that will take you to immediately before the battle so don't worry. The easier balancing is so you can try out various playstyle customizations and strategies in the demo.

The Details in Production
---Are there any scenes that you should watch out for?
Toriyama: The situation changes in realtime as yo move around. If you hear a lound noise behind you and look around, you can see a plane plummetting. Also, Sazh leads the way for Lightning at times, but when he points down towards something, please try to get to that location quickly. You will be able to see a real time battle going on.

---You can move the camera in realtime while moving around, but can you do this in battle as well?
Toriyama: Of course. You can move the camera around freely so please find a cool angle for yourself to use. During certain commands, such as lifting an enemy off the ground, the camera angle changes, so there shouldn't be any instance that makes the action difficult to see. Also, we've really worked on the details of magic spell graphics. For example, a fire based spell might leave smoke at where it landed or blizzard spells might leave shards of ice scattered about for a while.

---Is the battle music in the demo the same as that in the final release?
Toriyama: The music in the demo is planned to be used in the same scenes of the final product. On that note, the demo will not contain the standard post-battle fanfare, but in the final product, there will be a fanfare arrangement specifically arranged for FFXIII so please look forward to it. In terms of a victory pose...that's still under discussion (lol).


Secrets of the World Revealed
---What part of the Cocoon do Lightning and co. go crazy in?
Toriyama: It's the very bottom level of the spherical Cocoon. It's not really a place normal citizens would step foot into. In the image below, I think you can see water, but that's really like an underground lake. The location used in the demo uses a somewhat dark palette, but in the interior of the Cocoon, there are bright/festive(?) towns and what not.

---How is the social structure inside the Cocoon?
Toriyama: From the images, one might get the feeling that the Church's militia is supressing its citizens, but the militia acts more like the police force of the Cocoon. They're not really controlling the citizens. If anything, they take care of any monsters that infiltrate the Cocoon. Also, due to Falcie(?), a close to utopian society exists inside the Cocoon.

---Can you describe the existance of Falcie in this world?
Toriyama: Falcie is not something that cannot be seen and exists as matter. In the demo, you can verify Pulse's falcie, but this shape is only but one example. In the final release, Falcie will appear in various forms so please look forward to that.

---Do different monsters appear in the Cocoon and Pulse?
Toriyama: Divided rather largely, there are 3 types of monsters; monsters of pulse, the feral monsters inside the Cocoon, and the monsters that the church's miltia own, but the designs are all different. The monsters that the militia own are designed with over-technology, thus are a fusion of beast and machinery. In this game, monsters you're familiar with have changed greatly from a visual perspective. You've seen Behemoth in previous images, but things like Goblins that this series cannot be without are other monsters to look forward to. Well...just Sabotender (dunno what the western name is) has increased texture detail but basically still looks the same (lol).

---What's the highlight of the demo?
Toriyama: One part I'd like for you to pay particular attention to is the battle part. We've just really focused on creating a sense of exhilaration so we really want for you to have a taste of it. Upon breaking, there's a lot of information that pops up, and you might be a bit overwhelmed. First try to fight however you want to fight, and once you get used to it a bit, start taking into account the chain gauge and breaking; this will increase the strategic aspect of the game. Furthermore, if you start taking into account your party's actions, you'll be able to experience a very stylishly flowing action battle. From a story perspective, the highlight is Lightning and co.'s appearance. There's alot of heavy action right from the get go so please pay attention to it.

Further Evolution in the Final Release
---This is in regards to the battle system, but are there aspects that are not in the demo that might still be modified?
Toriyama: The command part has already gone through various iterations. With your first battle in the demo, you might have a bit of a problem trying to select the enemy or using white (holy in the west?) magic, but this has been rectified in the final product, so don't worry. We're also looking into implementing shortcut-type functions to make command accessibility easier.

---Can you command your party in detail?
Toriyama: In FFXII's gambit system, you prepared before the battle, but in FFXIII, we're thinking of how to adapt to the changing battle.

---In that regards, can you change the character you control freely in the middle of battle?
Toriyama: I can't comment on that in detail yet, but a new system will be implemented.

---We couldn't verify character growth in the demo, but it doesn't seem like character growth is going to be limited to just learning new attacks and spells?
Toriyama: Of course, characters will gain new skills and magic as they grow. Just, please wait for future information on how the characters are raised. Of course, it's not just straight levelling, but we expect to implement a some type of system as was done with the Sphere Board in FFX and Licensed Board in FFXII. Going off on a tangent, but this game's menu system is pretty amazing. I said the traditional blue background with white borders was fine, but the staff worked hard and created a completely fresh menu screen.

---Finally, with the upcoming demo release and fans awaiting the final release, if you could give them a message or 2.
Toriyama: In the demo, we've finally been able to make public the battle system, but bear in mind that it's the very basic battle system. Including what's not encompassed in the demo, the final product will have further polish. I'd like for you to enjoy the demo from both the battle and story side of the game in hopes that it'll increase your anticipation for the final release.

[Darkangel-XI]

When they say the battle isn't seamless, do they mean it will be like previous game where you are taken to a battle area when fighting an enemy?

I was hoping for it to be Chrono Trigger style where the menu just pops up :(

[dnegative]

Sounds good to me, making it harder doesn't bother me :)

[dnegative]

Sounds good to me, making it harder doesn't bother me :)

[Hynad]

To put it simply, I haven't been this excited about a Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy VII.

What do they share together? The really long wait for the release and the way they changed a lot of things to the formula.

[Daemon]

but things like Goblins that this series cannot be without are other monsters to look forward to. Well...just Sabotender has increased texture detail but basically still looks the same


Yay, Cactuars! Now we need word on Moogles....

It's sounding good. Why 2010, Square?! Why?! ... Oh well they're obviusly putting a lot of effort into this.

[elektr1k]

In the demo, the balance is a bit on the easy side, but in the final release, specifically referring to the battle, the difficulty has been raised slightly, and may be a little more easy to end up with a Game Over than before. But there's a retry command implemented that will take you to immediately before the battle so don't worry. The easier balancing is so you can try out various playstyle customizations and strategies in the demo.HAHAHA, I wonder if this is for all battles or just specifically for certain bosses in the demo?

[StrangeCat]

When they say the battle isn't seamless, do they mean it will be like previous game where you are taken to a battle area when fighting an enemy?

I was hoping for it to be Chrono Trigger style where the menu just pops up :(

basically when battle is going to happen the music pops on and the battle menu pops up. That's about it, it probably happens so fast it seems seamless^_-

OH MY GOD that damn Fanfare again! Hi I created this Fanfare please use it in every game LOL!

[Sabin]

I was hoping for it to be Chrono Trigger style where the menu just pops up :(

It will be Chrono Trigger style. The battles are not seamless, but transition is so fast, it will not bother you.

...this game does not have a seamless battle system like FFXII, but the change into battle is very rapid and has been designed to play with a similar sensation to a seamless system.

[Thunder]

Thank you all so much for this <3333

Sounds very very promising :cunning:

[Final]

Wow. Thanks a lot ^^
Never been this exited for a game before :) Sounds really good :D
Let's hope it'll be as good as it sounds.

[1nOnly]

It sounds like they really did work to the fullest with this game in every aspect. I just cant wait for the demo to be released so i can watch it on youtube. LOL .

I seriously think that many of the people preordering it will be a litle dissapointed, IMO demos on RPG's shouldnt really be made because to me the whole fun experience with playing an rpg is about character-developement and its hard to have that within an hour of a game.

I would have been just fine with watching a dev walkthrough on gametrailers and so would SE. But i guess FFVIICC wouldnt have sold as much without the demo

[Aurelia]

---With the announcement of the demo, a lot of character information has been announced. First off, Lighting. She's the first female protagonist of this series right?
Kitase: If you look only at Lightning's design, she comes off as a cool woman; essentially the type of woman that a lot of men would have a problem handling. But with Sakamoto Maaya voicing her role, I believe a lot of nice femininity has been brought out of Lighting. Because Lightning is a swordsman, it was difficult balancing her modeling. We didn't want her to be too frail looking, but at the same time, we didn't want to make her a muscular macho either.

Just say it: you didn't want a crotch stomping lesbian. :awesome:

[Zeta_Stryker]

Like with Sabin, it'll use Chrono Trigger's approach for the characters entering battle. The instant you touch the enemy, the menus (and battle music) will commence immediately. Unlike previous FF games where the disc would load.

@1nOnly;

Don't say such trashy things. That means that the gamers would have to wait til' the final release to get their hands on the game. I mean, what better of a time than April 16 to finally get their hands on an early build based on the final game.

[epsilon]

After reading through the translation, i think this game look really promising. Can't wait to play the actual game itself....

The fighting system sound cool...

[liljc91091]

You all are welcome I didn't translate it so thank rykomatsu (http://www.psu.com/forums/member.php?u=53045) from the PSU Forums. AND THERE IS A UPDATE OF THE INTERVIEW IN MY ORIGINAL POST

[mercy0001]

Of course, it's not just straight levelling, but we expect to implement a some type of system as was done with the Sphere Board in FFX and Licensed Board in FFXII.

They haven't started working on that yet???


but this game's menu system is pretty amazing. I said the traditional blue background with white borders was fine, but the staff worked hard and created a completely fresh menu screen.



I'm looking forward to it.
Still if 50% looks amazing ...
100% ............................. O_o......................

[rutea7]

cool, thnx for the scans and the translations.

i get the feeling April is gonna be a sweet sweet month filled with news :D

famitsu ps3+psp may 2009 comes out 2nd of april, check out the cover.

[Thunder]

cool, thnx for the scans and the translations.

i get the feeling April is gonna be a sweet sweet month filled with news :D

famitsu ps3+psp may 2009 comes out 2nd of april, check out the cover.
Oh sweet Jebus *dances over the table*

The new part of the interview its the most intresting and has more information about gameplay than every other one since 2007 pheraphs.

Very very intriguing.

[liljc91091]

i get the feeling April is gonna be a sweet sweet month filled with news :D

Yeah its going to be packed with news thats when the DEMO comes out. I think I'll make a new thread with all the translations since there are like 4 more interviews

[mercy0001]

cool, thnx for the scans and the translations.

i get the feeling April is gonna be a sweet sweet month filled with news

famitsu ps3+psp may 2009 comes out 2nd of april, check out the cover.

I think it's really going to be a huge blow out in a small time.

[liljc91091]

I made a new thread and I'll update it with the rest of the interviews as I get them

[Saki Liu]

I still wanna know if we can use summons outside of battle. !!!!!OMG, HOPING!!!!!

[Thunder]

^ Well they said it could be possible 872362873428345 years ago, so lets cross our fingers xDD

Thanks liljc91091 for keeping us informed ^-^

[Saki Liu]

Considering Saz has a baby Chocobo on his head... outside of battle. Maybe... no... Im not gonna get my hopes up. I have to just keep an open mind. Im so excited though... FUUUU- I want this demo.

[Thunder]

No, i'm sure he wont eat it :lol:

His summon will possibly be Siren considering they are both 4th character/summon revealed?

[chaosblade77]

I guess I'm confused again about the fal'Cie. Oh well.

I'm also a bit confused about the battle system transition. They do make it sound similar to the Chrono Trigger system, but at the same time they mention memory limitations which leads me to believe there would also be visual changes on screen in order to clear some of the memory.

I guess I don't see how they could free up memory for the animations and stuff they mentioned without any visual changes on screen. Maybe somebody can clear that up.

They haven't started working on that yet???
Chances are the majority of the groundwork has been done and they just have to work out the specifics. It probably wouldn't be much more difficult or time consuming to add than the Victory Poses they are considering.

[Kurai Warrior]

cool, thnx for the scans and the translations.

i get the feeling April is gonna be a sweet sweet month filled with news :D

famitsu ps3+psp may 2009 comes out 2nd of april, check out the cover.
They really love showing off the bloodied up Cloud don't they XD.

[LOL]

Because everybody loves blood.

It really is sounding quite promising and the environments osund like they will turn out amazing. Almost died when I read the part about the demo being done at the end of last year but I am going to do some PS3 space cleaning now.

Oh and by the way, Suds, wtf?:wtf:

[Ikkin]

I'm also a bit confused about the battle system transition. They do make it sound similar to the Chrono Trigger system, but at the same time they mention memory limitations which leads me to believe there would also be visual changes on screen in order to clear some of the memory.

I guess I don't see how they could free up memory for the animations and stuff they mentioned without any visual changes on screen. Maybe somebody can clear that up.

I think it's less about clearing memory and more about control. If you can move around while fighting, they have to worry about every possible combination of visual elements that might be on the screen at once. If you can only fight in certain spots, Chrono Trigger-style, they only need to worry about battle elements in places where battles can take place.

It's kind of like with the realtime cutscenes - they know exactly what's going to be on the screen, so they can maximize the elements that are shown. Less control = less ability to maximize.

[chaosblade77]

I think it's less about clearing memory and more about control. If you can move around while fighting, they have to worry about every possible combination of visual elements that might be on the screen at once. If you can only fight in certain spots, Chrono Trigger-style, they only need to worry about battle elements in places where battles can take place.

It's kind of like with the realtime cutscenes - they know exactly what's going to be on the screen, so they can maximize the elements that are shown. Less control = less ability to maximize.

That makes sense, thanks. I'm not sure why I didn't think of that since I knew how the "boosted" quality of real-time cutscenes worked.

The interview makes this sound like a memory bottleneck though. I didn't really pay attention to tech related stuff in previous generations, but this generation it seems like memory is the biggest bottleneck for all three systems. Hopefully the next generation of consoles rectifies that.

[Adam Blade]

Wtf. Suds?
Well, sounds cool anywayz.

Sazh, right? xD

Also, Lighting?

[Saki Liu]

Sazh, right? xD

Also, Lighting?

Oh, and dont forget Co. !?!?!?!

[Adam Blade]

Nora?

They haven't started working on that yet???



I'm looking forward to it.
Still if 50% looks amazing ...
100% ............................. O_o......................


Yeah. I was wondering about the level up system... Toriyama mentioned that you'll be able to get a few new spells and somewhat level up but wait till final product.. why so late in dev.?