Official White Knight Story (level 5 RPG) thread

[Hardknock]

There are now rumblings that this was possibly another "target render".

Was posted at another forum, check this out pretty interesting:

The game is only 10% complete according to the Devs:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6158329.html?part=rss&tag=gs_news&subj=6158329

I thought it was all a gameplay demonstration but Gamespot only labels it as a "trailer". Now in B3D's opinion is a realtime silky smooth Demo like that possible on just a 10% complete game? Would that even be a full graphic engine?

 

[Bad_Boy]

That could probably be interpreted many ways. In a sense it was a teaser or trailer of the game. And they do say it's gameplay. 10% could mean content complete. I believe the white engine was something similar, they said FFXIII was 85% done for example but we know that the game wont arrive for atleast another year. Lair is only 35% complete but was playable at TGS.

That said, being that the graphics were so smooth in transitions animation wise, It probably wouldnt surprise me if it were a pre-render. It was just almost too good to be true, the game looked so polished.

But then again, the animations should look impressive as noted from Famitsu, so I guess I wouldnt be surprise if it were real either.

Hino revealed to Famitsu that one of the big goals of the battle system in White Knight Story was realism both on the visual and gameplay levels. The game uses some sort of complex animation blending system, which Hino feels could not be achieved on previous systems. Level 5 made its own capture studio in order to create the game.

For a game they have been working on since march, you would think they would have atleast a little sample of gameplay.

 

[nintenho]

yeah Bad Boy but I mean, they said this was gameplay. the cel shading looks a little weird but I can't put my finger on it. it does look like a tech demo overall.

 

[Hardknock]

Also looking at the video over and over it's becoming more and more clear to me that it was pre-rendered. The menus don't seem realistic either, they seem to stick out and be more flashy and slick than usable. Menus are usually more static in nature, not animated out the wazoo like this trailer portrayed.

Now mind you I don't have a problem with pre-rendered footage, but why go through all the trouble to make it look real-time with the menus and stuff? They even intentionally have the main character grab that other character slightly ackward to make it look realtime during the fight. This starts crossing the line to being deceptive IMO. Using pre-rendered footage to misrepresent your games again.

I think we all can agree that this was the one game RPG wise that Sony showed that could one-up Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey in Japanese minds. (which I'm sure was successful).

Really really shady tactics if you ask me though. Killzone, Motorstorm, Lair, Heavenly Sword, etc... when is enough enough?

 

[Bad_Boy]

Well everything seems to line up legit from what Akihiro Hino has said about the game, from the animation("complex animation blending system" which holds true) to the gameplay ("So a hurt chracter will show fatigue on his face and body language." which holds true). Honestly I don't think the 10% comment is anything to debate about as other games are 35% and playable, and 85% games are far from complete, as I mentioned above.

But personally I'd rather not comment on it anymore without any more information given to us. It will just end up as another realtime or pre-rendered debate. Honestly If this wasnt a Level 5 game, I would have called it off as too good to be true a LONG time ago.

edit:
btw, since when was anything Heavenly Sword related shady? I think it's safe to say everything we have seen from Heavenly Sword has been delivered since the orginal e3 2005 trailer.

 

[Hardknock]

Heavenly sword was 60fps and 1080p at E3 2005 in case you forgot

That's not to mention the different image quality that's been noticed in the screens from then and now. Still looks good though of course.

 

[nintenho]

edit:
btw, since when was anything Heavenly Sword related shady? I think it's safe to say everything we have seen from Heavenly Sword has been delivered since the orginal e3 2005 trailer.

that scale hasn't been shown.

 

[Hardknock]

And honestly Badboy. Sony probably didn't have any real-time RPGs to show off (beside enchanted arms) to combat Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey with. It just seems too convenient that they develop this CG trailer to take the wind from MS's sails (just like E3 2005). Maybe MS will learn one day aye?

 

[Bad_Boy]

Heavenly sword was 60fps and 1080p at E3 2005 in case you forgot

That's not to mention the different image quality that's been noticed in the screens from then and now. Still looks good though of course.

Untold Legends was 1080p and 60fps as well, its now dropped down as 720p. Is that shady as well? Games change over long periods of time (resistance at 1080p compared to 720p for example). I think the image quality has actually improved a bit from the orginal trailer, from first glance not much has changed since the orginal trailer, but looking closely there are many differences such as shaders, model changes and texture changes. That said, the game is not perfect, but I wouldnt call it shady.

that scale hasn't been shown.

It's been confirmed many times that the scale of the game holds true by nao or deano. The latest screens also show that sense of scale as well.

And honestly Badboy. Sony probably didn't have any real-time RPGs to show off (beside enchanted arms) to combat Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey with. It just seems too convenient that they develop this CG trailer to take the wind from MS's sails (just like E3 2005). Maybe MS will learn one day aye?

Jumping the gun are we?

 

[Serenity Painted Death]

Doubt is good. The more people doubt that FFXIII is realtime the more it is constantly proven that it is. The same will probably hold true for WKS. Nothing about the trailer indicates that it isn't (and certainly not the character models).

 

[Hardknock]

Untold Legends was 1080p and 60fps as well, its now dropped down as 720p. Is that shady as well? Games change over long periods of time (resistance at 1080p compared to 720p for example). I think the image quality has actually improved a bit from the orginal trailer, from first glance not much has changed since the orginal trailer, but looking closely there are many differences such as shaders, model changes and texture changes. That said, the game is not perfect, but I wouldnt call it shady.

The point is that heavenly sword was never in that state. Deano stated himself the game was at 5fps and they sped it up on orders from Sony to 60fps and 1080p. This gave the impression of PS3 blowing the 360 away. You don't see anything wrong with that?

The final product looks excellent, yes. But it's not the E3 trailer.

 

[Bad_Boy]

The point is that heavenly sword was never in that state. Deano stated himself the game was at 5fps and they sped it up on orders from Sony to 60fps and 1080p. This gave the impression of PS3 blowing the 360 away. You don't see anything wrong with that?

If it looks just as good in the end graphically and animation wise, excuse me for not complaining.

The final product looks excellent, yes. But it's not the E3 trailer.

Kinda opinionated right there, I actually think it's just as good or better than the E3 trailer.
But again, this isnt going anywhere...just another realtime/pre-rendered debate about a game not even on topic.

 

[nintenho]

It's been confirmed many times that the scale of the game holds true by nao or deano. The latest screens also show that sense of scale as well.

there were parts in the old screens that were 3D that are now 2D and...I..don't...see..100...people.

 

[Bad_Boy]

there were parts in the old screens that were 3D that are now 2D and...I..don't...see..100...people.

Just because they didnt show it, doesnt mean its not there. They have said in many interviews that there will be 3 modes of main combat (1v1 battles, 1vsdozen battles, and 1vsthousands battles). Again, where is this going?

 

[nintenho]

Just because they didnt show it, doesnt mean its not there. They have said in many interviews that there will be 3 modes of main combat (1v1 battles, 1vsdozen battles, and 1vsthousands battles). Again, where is this going?

that the game has changed? It's not that level of detail and that's what makes it get mentioned when talking about games that are being shown at detail levels that you should not expect. I don't think I twisted it in any part.

 

[crystalcube]

Honestly I don't think the 10% comment is anything to debate about as other games are 35% and playable, and 85% games are far from complete, as I mentioned above.

I always wondered what these completion percentage numbers means. If its 10% complete in a year does it mean it will take another 9 years for full completion?
But I guess everyone wants to know when game will be released and they just come with an arbitrary figure 10% or 50% or 85%. I guess 10% just means its in very early stages of development.

I think we all can agree that this was the one game RPG wise that Sony showed that could one-up Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey in Japanese minds. (which I'm sure was successful).

Isn't FFXIII still an exclusive for PS3 ? Or do you think in Japan Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey are going to be such a big threat to Sony that they need to "one-up" them ?

It seems a long way before we can get to see anything playable for WKS but Level 5 have a good track record of producing good RPGs.

 

[Bad_Boy]

that the game has changed? It's not that level of detail and that's what makes it get mentioned when talking about games that are being shown at detail levels that you should not expect. I don't think I twisted it in any part.

I didnt say you twisted anything, you have your opinions about something and I can't knock that. A game changing in 12 months isnt that big of a surprise though, games change every day. There are parts that they havent shown yet and I don't think thats a shady practice at all.

I'm just saying this debate isnt going anywhere (for HS or WKS).

I always wondered what these completion percentage numbers means. If its 10% complete in a year does it mean it will take another 9 years for full completion?
But I guess everyone wants to know when game will be released and they just come with an arbitrary figure 10% or 50% or 85%. I guess 10% just means its in very early stages of development.

It's weird to me as well as it can kinda be interpreted in many ways. I think they may kinda be arbitrary numbers as well, just so people stop asking questions. 50% complete for one developer is probably not the same 50% to another developer. For example I read that developers do things on schedule in many different ways. Like one developer might do the graphics engine first and then work on gameplay. Or another dev might do gameplay first and polish the graphics before the games release. Both taking different amount of times.

But it is interesting. I'd rather have a date of release than a percentage number.

 

[nintenho]

I'm just saying this debate isnt going anywhere (for HS or WKS).

of course not if you accept the pre-rendered footage will be "reached".

 

[Bad_Boy]

of course not if you accept the pre-rendered footage will be "reached".

And I'm saying it has been reached IMHO (for HS anyways).

 

[0055700]

Remember when all of the game are around 5-10% complete during E305? Look at them now.