[FF7R] Remake Compendium

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While i agree with the load data, what im wondering regarding that though is how they will handle max level if you load you previous data;
It would be highly unsatisfying if the max level in the whole first episode which supposedly is around 50-60 hours long would be lvl 20-30 and if you can get to lvl 99 then will max level after episode 2 be 200? (and it would be equally unsatisfying and lot more immersion breaking (and sadly likely) if the "load data" only loads ruddimentary strawberries like quests completed and choices made and everthing else gets reset. (i find those kind of load data scenarios almost pointless) like in mass effect where it was basically an almost useless feature but it worked there because the games narrative was handled differently and wasnt a previous story with set progression split up) badly worded but you catch my drift hopefully.

Also curious how they will handle stuff like normal gear/weapons in the same veign; like will the best sword in the whole first episode be the 3rd buster sword (you can see at least 2 in the trailers eleased so far) or will you get to high tier weapons. I dont want to have a proper endgame only in the last episode, endgame and leveling for superbosses is one of my favorite parts of rpgs. All of that and much more is one of the major issues (whole progression in all aspects) i see with the episodic format.
 
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Subsequent viewings of the new content, detailed breakdowns from the lucky few who got to play at E3, have left me quite satisfied with the combat sections of the remake.

All account point to specific actions in combat making a noticeable difference, so tactics become important, ATB charges matter a great deal, without them no magic, no items and no heavy attacks/skills.

It appears status effects are present, tifa having sadness in one of the trailers, which I'm curious as to how that's going to effect combat, is it going to just slow limit build-up or is it going to have a more noticeable effect, are they going to have all status ailments or are they only gonna stick to ones that are easily relevant.

Pacing is a concern I have, 40-60hrs of Midgar is all well and good if the story is stretched correctly, depending on how they fill the story out it could be spectacular or terrible, as a caveat it appears they are adding a good deal to do with avalanche, which it a step in the right direction, they also seem to be increasing the reunion foreshadowing, which dependant on how obvious they make it could lead to some interesting story potential.

I don't think we are going to have a limited level cap, assuming GS is only about an hour in(based on escape time for the reactor)...hp given in trailer 1024 by GS, 1700 by AB 2400 by Aps, following that growth curve for until motorball 5500+hp.... This is assuming that the demo growth curve isn't twisted for testing purposes which is kinda concerning if they want to make it a continuous game rather then totally separate games, I doubt this based on heavy attack damage numbers during Aps fight only being 120-169

Other concerns I have how is materia going to be implemented, as it's clearly in game and appears variable, what about these new skills, how exactly is leveling going to work, personally I feel a sphere grid Style leveling system is most practical for the remake or ff5 role system.

Motorball is either a rubbish last boss, a fun novelty boss or an excellent first boss
 
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It seems too far from the original to load data correctly.
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What do you mean Alyza?

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I think anyway if true that "load data" is possible... then a level cap is a solution they might apply.
 
Cross-gen hypothesis from Yosuke Matsuda: "It's the hottest topic at the moment and we thought you might ask us that," Matsuda said. "I believe that our teams have made it so that the game will support both the next generation and the current generation of consoles. I believe it is being developed so that it is going to be playable on both, so I'm not really concerned about that and I believe that the fans are also going to be able to enjoy it on both, including the next-generation of consoles."

Kitase twitter: "Good day everyone, I'm Kitase, the producer of Final Fantasy VII Remake. There had been a raging wave of developments related to Final Fantasy VII Remake, from the sudden announcement in May, the release date reveal in an orchestra concert held in Los Angeles on June 9, and a playable demo at E3. But I'd be glad if all of our fans are delighted with the many surprises after waiting for so long. In doing a remake, what we first emphasized was to depict Midgar, which symbolized the world setting of the original Final Fantasy VII the most, in a charming way. We newly redesigned the interior structure of Midgar, and added new episodes as well as depictions of the daily lives of citizens who live there. Ultimately, just by depicting the story until the original's Escape From Midgar, we already reached a huge capacity with a pack of 2 Blu-ray discs, which should have enough density and volume for the world setting and storyline. To go along with that, we have optimized character growths and boss monster placements for this game, completely reconstructing it as a single standalone game, which we think will have become a title worth playing enough. We plan to develop the Final Fantasy VII remake project into multiple titles in the future, but we hope you will look forward to the release of the first title, Final Fantasy VII Remake, on March 3, 2020. June 14, 2019 Yoshinori Kitase, Producer of Final Fantasy VII Remake"

Kitase again: "While many people may think that Midgar is very dark at first glance, we have a design aesthetic where the city has strong elements of colour and variety. The lighting and colouring we are using throughout Midgar accentuate what is unique about FINAL FANTASY VII’s world. We decided not to use a photo-realistic approach with the design, but instead something more stylised, honouring the artistic designs and choices of the original."
 
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Ultimately, just by depicting the story until the original's Escape From Midgar, we already reached a huge capacity with a pack of 2 Blu-ray discs, which should have enough density and volume for the world setting and storyline.
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I mean.. they fit the entire open world of Final Fantasy XV into one... How damn big have they made Midgar exactly? LOL
 
Demo Minutes, 42:00 starts
Max Demo Impressions Resume (Walltext coming!):

  • Saw a special behind-closed-doors media presentation (45 minute demonstration)
  • Presentation was of the entire Bombing Run mission
  • VII Remake had tons of accolades at E3
  • New voice cast hired just for VII Remake
  • Original voice cast will continue to voice other projects where the VII cast are in
  • New English language Barret voice actor feels a lot more truer to the original Barret we saw in VII
  • It appears that they have taken some mechanics out of the gameplay that we have seen in order to make it more streamlined and presentable … it feels like there is a lot more that they have hidden and not revealed to the public at this time
  • They don’t want to fuck this up – they know how much pressure in on their shoulders
  • There is a ton of nostalgic points sprinkled throughout - aimed to remind you of the original but that this is a new version of the same game, ala the RE2 remake
  • SE had been following Max for some time, especially all the reactions to the Remake, and noticed him during the event. Was able to get a picture with Kitase
  • When development was tough, the team was highly motivated by showing Max’s reaction videos – very touching for Max (he teared up on stream)
  • Replays his reaction videos for perspective about what he is going to dive into
  • It is obvious that they didn’t get rid of all of CC2’s work. It looks like it has all been repurposed instead. Starts off exactly like we saw back in the 2015 trailer
  • Just like in the original, Avalanche run past whilst Cloud is left behind to deal with the Shinra MPs. He is treated like the grunt/mercenary for hire like he is
  • Head into the train station entrance
  • Avalanche whistle to get the guards to attack Cloud, leaving them free to run into the Reactor
  • Shinra MPs have their machine guns, tonfas and grenades
  • Wedge and Jessie are trying to hack a door
  • Jessie has a sub machine gun. Constantly hits on Cloud
  • Wedge is worried if they can trust Cloud. Tries to introduce himself but Cloud isn’t interested
  • Barret warns Cloud that he better be on their side – denoting Cloud in his Shinra gear. Cloud is just here to be paid
  • Cloud has a weird flashback / memory just as the door is hacked
  • We get the classic Reactor shot as it pans up
  • The music is amazing, blends in extremely well into different themes as things happen
  • Avalanche continue to leave Cloud to deal with enemies – jokingly telling him to have fun. Wedge is the only one concerned about Cloud
  • Cloud has multiple stances. A nimble stance, a heavy brawler and a counter-hit stance. You get different combos based on this. If you are hit by a ranged attack or magic, you are punished for this by taking big damage. This stance isn’t in the playable demo
  • Everyone will have these special stances or unique aspects
  • So even the same character can play in different ways whilst also utilising the character switching
  • Biggs cutting a hole into a gate – the group go through whilst Cloud is forced to deal with things again (lol)
  • Up to this point, the dialogue is similar to the original but expanded but as soon as they get to the main elevator, the dialogue takes a huge new turn
  • Barret has a motivational speech about why they are doing this mission – really gets into it. Jessie and Cloud exchange a look during this. Barret is mad that Cloud isn’t taking this seriously. Barret says he can hear the screams of the planet and Cloud says to get help. This pisses Barret off
  • There is genuine tension between Cloud and Barret – you feel that they don’t know if they can trust this Ex-Shinra guy
  • New security system goes off, which makes them concerned about Cloud even more
  • Banter continues. Barret tries to issue orders to Cloud but Cloud keeps telling him to leave him to do his job
  • XV had some good organic banter and group dialogue … but this blows it away completely. They feel like genuinely real people. Max was most concerned about this, but not anymore. Not cringy at all. Didn’t hear anything repeated during this opening segment
  • By the Scorpion Sentinel boss fight – Cloud and Barret have bonded somewhat, due to helping each other out during that encounter
  • The characters feel like people!
  • Lip synching is perfect
  • Gameplay is super smooth. It was a live demo running on a PS4 Pro. So polished
  • No loading … at all from the start of any kind
  • Cutscenes dynamically transition into field / encounters. They are littered throughout
  • Cloud is a BIT OF A DORK!
  • The most polished game from SE. It is on another level (audio, animation, transitioning, no loading, banter/dialogue, intuitive music ….) It felt like they spent a year and a half just on the Bombing Run
  • The big worry is how the hell the rest of the game will match this same quality!
  • You can flee from a fight. If you are faster than your opponent, they will eventually lose interest and return to their positions
  • The music is SO intuitive. During the different phases of the Boss fights. When Cloud does a Cross Slash, the choir suddenly kicks in and out
  • There were combos within the game – it does more damage if you combine character moves at the same time
  • There was a bit of a hint that they have a TON more mechanics and gameplay aspects that they have in store that they don’t want to reveal just yet. Max felt like the game was opening up and had this in store in the future
  • Still shocked at the quality. Hard to process this being for the whole game!
  • So hard to discuss this game with non-players. It seriously NEEDS to be experienced
  • Can’t stop thinking about the game
  • Jessie is super cool in this version – Max’s favourite so far. “I appreciate you talking to me, but how about you go down there and blow her mind instead” (in reference to the Reactor). The dialogue is so awesome
  • Wedge sounds a lot different to the previous trailer
  • They are teasing the relationship aspects – which is integral to VII
  • They are trying to preserve the characters as much as possible
  • He prays that SE releases the Bombing Run demo to the public, like Capcom did with the RE 2 Remake
  • They said they are aware of what everyone loves about Midgar and their experiences. They will have everything that people love … but there will be a ton more
  • In Max’s opinion, the subsequent games will all play differently and have different mechanics. He envisions part II being completely open world and so different to Part I. Lots of vehicle use/action. Doesn’t expect much to transition over between the different parts
  • One of the biggest takeaways from everything is that SE want this to be immersive and seamless. This will carry through onto Part II and the open world. He expects it to be on PS5 (his opinion)
  • Showed the famitsu footage – clean from the presentation without the commentary
  • If Barret staggers an opponent, he says ‘Shit Yeah!’
  • You get a great sense of scale of everything
  • When you kill enemies, you don’t get a traditional win screen. The menu is very clean and simple
  • He didn’t see it himself, but he heard that Barret can hum the victory theme and Cloud tells him to ‘shut up’
  • President Shinra and Heideggar are completely aware of what Avalanche is doing. They are watching their activities from the monitors. The Shinra theme is amazing – done with strings and presented very hauntingly and evil. Super dark. A lot of the music is brooding – leaves you with despair, just like the world of Midgar
  • The game takes advantage of the fact that you know who these characters are. Things are introduced before you see characters. The way the characters are talking, it feels like Tifa feels sorry for Cloud, which is why he is being offered this job
  • PSX 2015 trailer. Max says the opening scene has been re-choreographed. The sequence is completely different. The tone is so different compared to the 2015 trailer. Everything feels a lot more faster too. Such a different game to what we saw. They didn’t trash all of CC2’s work. It is just so much more polished and snappier
  • He is trying to find something wrong with it … he can’t. The only (extremely minor) thing is that the camera sometimes isn’t amazing
  • Steve Burton was great for what they wanted to do, but for the more dorkier Cloud (and one more cocky / faithful to the original) he is glad they are going with this new actor. “That’s my line”. Max loves the cheese-ball one liners from Cloud. CC Cloud didn’t feel like Cloud aside from when he was mako poisoned
  • Difficulty – it wasn’t super difficult, but even the devs said that it was meant as a tutorial for the players. But even in the Scorpion boss fight you lose a lot of health and it takes 15 minutes to complete entirely
  • Using items is attached to the ATB gauge. To get ATB gauge you need to fight
  • Showed the PS3 tech demo for laughs
  • Cloud’s hair is more similar to his original design
  • Original gameplay comparison. The Midgar panning out to the train running in is different. You cut to the soldiers once the pan out to Midgar is complete. Barret runs off to leave you to tackle the guards like in the original
  • Security officers have all the same moves from the original
  • Cloud trash talks the Security Officers
  • You get a new train station segment from the train stopping to the gate (you see it in the trailer – where Jessie says “have fun”).
  • Lots of new dialogue
  • You can’t change the character’s names
  • Barret and Cloud tension, and you feel that around the other characters
  • During the pan up to the Reactor, you cut to the tower and President Shinra watching everything
  • Cross Slash is Cloud’s limit. Braver was a move / skill
  • You go through corridors rather than outside area once past the gate
  • The Reactor entrance, you don’t get the same perspective when you run in until after Cloud looks up – it gives you the huge scale of everything
  • Cloud has a flashback/moment right before this
  • If the Mono Drives float above Cloud, he will jump up to air combo them. So though there is no manual jump, if they are within his reach, he can attack flying opponents
  • In the Reactor, there is a whole new sequence – Biggs cutting through the grate. A lot more intense than in the original. They trust Cloud to know where to go
  • The Reactor music is incredible
  • There are golden-looking chests
  • The elevator sequence is there in the Remake, but it is different, especially the lead-in
  • Anything with Shinra logo on it is destructible, so you can break boxes or open chests for loot. You can ‘attack’ out of combat
  • Demo on floor was unlocked framerate but one Max was watching was 30 fps
  • Barret and Cloud have their fight right after the elevator. Music kicks in and lasers shoot down. Character switching tutorial – shows you how to switch to Barret. Barret looked like he was going to shoot Cloud but he shot an opponent behind him. Cloud doesn’t even flinch from the shot. Barret is the long-range fighter. They really gave this a lot of thought. It feels like the original, but a new twist on the gameplay
  • The demo ended where (in the original) Jessie teaches you how to go down the ladder. In the Remake, there are no ladders, it is a big spiral staircase down into the underbelly of the Reactor. Tons of enemies on the way down. Jessie points out where the Reactor core is
  • Limits still build from damage. Especially blocking
  • No Sweepers or Grunts were available in the Bombing Run demo that was played
  • If you run around and dodge too much, you didn’t get much ATB bars
  • Not sure if MP was regenerated from normal attacking
  • During the boss fight, he noticed the items that were available to him. Cloud’s inventory changed – he had grenades and some other items
  • Cloud is confused by the Scorpion Sentinel’s ability to heal / regenerate
  • No functioning menu for Materia yet, or the characters / equipment, etc…
  • From the top of the Reactor to the bottom is about x4 longer than the original game
  • No save points in the demo – presented as a tutorial
  • Barret asks you to set the bomb. He says something like Tifa trusts you but he doesn’t. He wants Cloud to prove that he can trust him. Cloud aggressively says fine and sets the bomb
  • You don’t get the ‘this isnt’ a reactor’ line. Instead you get a flashback/moment. He holds his head. It’s not all red and ear screeching… just a single black feather that falls to the ground and dissipates. Alarms set off and that’s when the moment ends
  • The Scorpion Sentinel can scan you. If he does, he can grab the character and disable them. You have to switch to Barret, and if you attack him enough, you get released
  • Stone Skin – gives Barret less damage and stunning. Barret is a tank
  • The game is chapter based. Chapter 1 "The Mako Reactor". Might get a chapter completion bonus?
  • No jump button
  • Feels NOTHING like CC
  • You can hold down button to continuously attack, but Cloud has different moves. If you press the button repeatedly instead of holding it down, you do a longer combo
  • Barret was just hold down to shoot. Barret doesn't have to reload
  • Extrapolates the combos that could happen with Materia added into the mix
  • For everyone who complained about Turn Based not being in the game - Tactical Mode solves that completely. You can play it like that, or as an action RPG
  • You don't get to see the escape after the Reactor explodes in the presentation demo
Credit: Max for video/ Claymore for the text resume
 
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For everyone who complained about Turn Based not being in the game - Tactical Mode solves that completely. You can play it like that, or as an action RPG

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No, it doesn't.  They said the same kind of thing about ff12 and it was unplayable in the obviously non intended mode.  We can see with our own eyes what they've done to the battle mechanics.  Them pretending it isn't so is not conning me. 

Also, it's not about how many things you can find that are flashy or catchy - it's about pacing, writing, and soul. All of which the game already show a chronic lack of.

It always seems to be the case that before a game that shows early signs of some serious flaws is released,  people create a deluge of excuses and alternate explanations or else dwell on graphical power.  But for me personally, I already see all the reasons I'll dislike the game - even if others will end up loving it.  8)

- Also, they've stuck to inferior translations - like Cross Slash. Once again, they'll pander to "canon".  And I bet Genesis etc all get roped in.
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 ::) :)


Oh and @topic thanks for the massive post kurando. Not gonna lie while I certainly anticipate this game to an extent, im not hyped enough to plow through it all so I gave up halfway through the list but I can certainly apreciate the effort put into it.
 
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I wonder if they'll release a special FF7:R version of the PS4 Pro. I don't own one, but I might finally cave  8)

Or...Google Stadia  :-[
 
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Thanks for the long post Kuraudo. The game sounds great. I'm relieved by the combat mechanics. I would have been hitting my head off the keyboard if they decided to keep it pure turn based (yes i know the original is great, but i don't want a carbon copy).
 
Demo Minutes, 42:00 starts
Max Demo Impressions Resume (Walltext coming!):
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So far looks really good to me and i'd be lying if i said i wasn't excited. I'm liking the gameplay as well and I think they've nailed it: feels action enough without being mere button mashing or AI driven (Gambits were a mistake). I want to believe they're putting a tremendous amount of care into this, more than they've ever done to any other project. The main worry is "how much" they will expand each part and how it'll fit with the whole story, but that's probably the last thing we'll get to know.
 
Famitsu - Nomura Interview. - More accurate translation


  • Nomura-san explains that the shadow that appears at the end of the latest trailer is something that has been added for the Remake. They are called "The Guardians of Destiny" (Unmei no Bannin 運命の番人, video) , and it’s a mysterious existence that appears in front of the party. He hopes that those who played the original game will enjoy these new elements.
  • While the trailer did not show it, dialogue choices are in the game. Since different scenes with different reactions from the characters to these choices have been created, the size of the game has increased.
  • Asked whether the events included in the original game have remained the same, Nomura-san mentioned that it depends. For instance, the cross-dressing event in the Honey Bee Inn is still included. That being said, the place itself was significantly rearranged in a modern style. When the developers tried to recreate that space, it didn’t look right, and they generally thought it was no good. They tweaked those parts that did not fit the visuals and the world view of the game.
  • The game follows the original, but there are quite a few additional scenarios. While the main story has not changed, there are many new events, like the scene shown in the trailer in which Cloud and Jesse run away on the motorbike. If that wasn’t the case, the game wouldn’t require two Blu-Ray disks.
  • Speaking of Aerith and Tifa, the team decided to clearly separate them visually since they have a situation with two heroines. Aerith’s beauty follows western aesthetics, while with Tifa they emphasized the cuteness of her face to follow eastern aesthetics.
  • In terms of personality, Aerith has the innocence of a young girl. The Final Fantasy VII Remake conveys that strongly. But there is a gap between her appearance and inner personality, with her aspects of “innocence” and “beauty.” On the other hand, Tifa has a bold costume that exposes her a lot, but she actually isn’t that confident. She is a shy lady who doesn’t get out of her shell much. Both display a difference between their appearance and their inner personality, which makes them attractive.
  • Speaking of costume design, Nomura-san explained that the team aimed for it to be quite realistic visually, taking real designs of clothes and accessories as reference. For instance, Tifa’s suspenders are inspired by real ones for military use, while her gloves reference those used for riding bikes and fighting. The body silhouette didn’t change from the original version, but the team has tried to improve such details.
  • Developers wanted Tifa to have visible abs, so they gave her the body style of an athlete. There were instructions from the internal ethics department, and it was decided to constrict her chest [Editor’s Note: the context and wording indicate clearly that this refers to the tightness and design of Tifa’s clothing, not to her chest size] so that it wouldn’t look unnatural even during fierce action. Therefore, the team created a design for her upper torso, with black underwear and a body-fitting tank top replacing the original simple one. It’s a sporty design inspired by fitness.
  • The battle system went through a lot of “scrap & build” during development, but now the direction is decided. While the base is action, the team wanted to make it enjoyable for those who like the original gameplay as well. Thus, the current hybrid system was born.
  • The action part emphasizes the sense of realism and exhilaration, and players can fight without stress using shortcuts. However, it’s not that kind of fast action that doesn’t give you time to rest your hands. Using the ATB gauge lets you open the command menu and slow down the flow of time, and it’s designed so that you can think of it as a command-style RPG.
  • How this system is used depends on the player’s style and skills. If you like to play specifically action, you can do that too. Final Fantasy is a game where you can see numerical values such as damage and the amount of HP. Command selection is also important to checking and managing resources like MP.
  • Character switching is also important, as each has different abilities, as some are more suitable to fight certain enemies. For instance, this is easy to understand with the scorpion boss shown during the trailer: since it has short-range attacks, it’s a good strategy to switch to Barret and shoot from a distance. Yet, you can also attack it with Cloud by using magic. Since recovering MP requires items, you also need to manage that resource.
  • Nomura-san concludes by mentioning that Final Fantasy VII has been developed more than twenty years ago. Most of today’s teens have not played it. Since times have changed, even playing the original Final Fantasy VII may feel different now for those who enjoyed it a long time ago. He hopes that people will be able to approach the Final Fantasy VII remade in the current era as a new Final Fantasy. On the other hand, there are plenty of nostalgic elements among the new ones for veterans of the game. It would be nice if even those who lost passion for gaming over such a long time could come back to Midgar once again.

New Renders:

Famitsu Interview pages:

 
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Square Enix ethics team told developers to “tighten her chest” to avoid getting jiggly during intense action.[/list]
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Japanese people against jiggling, now i've seen them all.
 
These renders give me a weird cosplay vibe, cant put my finger on it, possibly "too realistic" or something, not sure how to put it but they feel off :P
 
There we go.

"More modern" is just a mealy-mouth way of saying "We've dumbed down because muh outraged political correct idiots."

This is another reason the original will always have a special appeal... because it will always have a feeling of being more adult and not this childish slapstick.
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Ahah I knew it you're gonna comment Nomura's statement!

So far looks really good to me and i'd be lying if i said i wasn't excited. I'm liking the gameplay as well and I think they've nailed it: feels action enough without being mere button mashing or AI driven (Gambits were a mistake). I want to believe they're putting a tremendous amount of care into this, more than they've ever done to any other project. The main worry is "how much" they will expand each part and how it'll fit with the whole story, but that's probably the last thing we'll get to know.
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Caledor that is a big question mark on how they'll manage the other parts. However, I agree with you, I believe that Square-Enix knows how much fans will destroy them if anything goes bad. Even though, I'm still worried of the second and third part... I feel a lot will depend from the sales.

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Gaia's term confirmed from Aerith skill.

Aaand one more for DLPB's happiness: "FFVIIのコンピレーション作品で判明した設定が新たに盛り込まれたりと、ストリーの面でも厚みが増やしている " ("Settings established in the FFVII Compilation works are newly incorporated and the story has been delved more deeply into." )

No doubts about it.  ::)
 
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The problem with the episodic thing is that every episode needs to be better than the one before. This however means, that we get bigger and bigger games and in the worst case it starts to get boring rather than entertaining. Especially in the last part of a game SE becomes very uninnovative and just pull the stats to ridicules numbers instead of being creative.
What's also interesting how they will allow the player to travel? I mean they need to merge somehow the games in the end. But I guess they will kick out the worldmap and make a fast travel system similar to FFX. This way they would have much more control.
 
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