SquareEnix explains why FFXIII is PS3 exclusive - DVD9 not enough

[TheChefO]

the HD-CG part of the game would take up a lot more than the actual DATA...

True - although from what they said in their interview one could hardly see the difference because the ps3 is so powerful. If that's the case, why use cg at all?

hmm.

Sounds like they have other reasons for exclusivity but from a marketing standpoint I'm sure Sony doesn't mind a little favor now and then from devs pushing their bluray agenda in interviews.

RR - good point, something to consider. Although there would also be much gained from learning how to tweak as much as possible from the actual guts of the machine. The time spent in getting realtime cutscenes to work even when it seems impossible at first could pay huge in the end for them. But as you say, they must also consider time.

 

[expletive]

I played RPGs from Floppys back in the Amiga-Days (10 Disks, swapping them before each fight, extreme example).

LOL, yep! And we were happy to do it!

 

[London Geezer]

I wouldn't be surprised if doing better quality and more detailed prerendered fmv would even be chaper than trying to fight the limits of a game-engine , or at least not that much more expensive or time-consuming.
Rendering time of course would be longer, but then again it's much machine time, not "man years" as when tweaking the "in-engine" cutscenes.
Just my guesses, don't take these as facts or even an opinion or anything that was meant to offend.

You do know that what you call "machine time" - the rendering time - costs by the hour, right? And it ain't cheap, let me tell you. Even if it weren't so expensive, letting the PS3 realtime engine render the scene will always be cheaper as it's practically free (for the devs, the player does pay the electricity).

 

[Farid]

Warning: This thread is close of being locked. Other actions might be taken

On the overall, this thread is a bad example of what to expect from an average thread, very little discussion and way too many useless one liners...

If someone disgarees with a claim, an assertion, anything, then this one has to explain why, in a thoughful post, he does so. One liners and smiley aren't enough as an explanation in most cases, seriously.

I must add that the sensationalistic thread title with an emphasize on the DVD9 not being enough didn't help the thread to start any better...

So nobody wants to talk about the game being 80% done

The scenario is 80% done. The whole game is another matter.

 

[kyleb]

I played RPGs from Floppys back in the Amiga-Days (10 Disks, swapping them before each fight, extreme example). Sure it wouldnt be the same.

Of couse it wouldn't be the same, and that is due to the technical restriction of smaller disks which you trying to doubt eriler.

 

[TheChefO]

From what the market has already accepted and the very nature of rpg's taking a very long time to complete, this is hardly the ideal scenario to argue multiple dvd vs bluray.

Were you all really complaining that much with FF7? Aside from the possibility of this title being a freeroaming rpg which some of you suggest may be the possibility it is hardly likely as others have pointed out based on the vast majority of their titles being very linear in nature which translates very well to multiple disk spanning.

In short - The exclusivity of this game to ps3 has little to do with bluray and much more to do with Sony.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Aside from the possibility of this title being a freeroaming rpg which some of you suggest may be the possibility it is hardly likely as others have pointed out based on the vast majority of their titles being very linear in nature

Which though adds weight to that idea, is far from concrete evidence. I believe SE's DQVIII is free-roaming where previous iterations weren't, no? And up until FFX all FF's were turn based combat, which suggests it being highly unlikely FFXII would be different, but it is. As a suggestion, that FFXIII is free roaming, it's still an option on the cards that can't be written, or even classed as unlikely given recent changes to major franchises.

 

[kyleb]

Thing is, it could be the most linear game on the planet and still be set within one big mostly-seamless enviroment which couldn't rightly be broken up into multiple disks.

 

[TheChefO]

Which though adds weight to that idea, is far from concrete evidence. I believe SE's DQVIII is free-roaming where previous iterations weren't, no? And up until FFX all FF's were turn based combat, which suggests it being highly unlikely FFXII would be different, but it is. As a suggestion, that FFXIII is free roaming, it's still an option on the cards that can't be written, or even classed as unlikely given recent changes to major franchises.

Perhaps - but the nature of a free roaming game is a limiting factor in what can be placed in said world. While they could produce this type of game it would take much longer to produce a "substantial impact" from the gamers perspective as a certain level of quality has been shown and demonstrated and so is now expected. To produce this "level of quality" in a free roaming world would be very time consuming and while not impossible, I would consider it improbable for their first FF game on ps3. I think for the reasons I mentioned, they will focus on making a very rich in quality experience that is somewhat controlled which will allow them in turn to get the game out sooner rather than later.

 

[TheChefO]

Thing is, it could be the most linear game on the planet and still be set within one big mostly-seamless enviroment which couldn't rightly be broken up into multiple disks.

yes but linear story telling enables the story to be broken up or "paused" at certain points which enable disk swapping.

 

[blakjedi]

FFVII had plenty of disk swapping and is rated among the best RPGS ever... *shrug*

 

[drpepper]

FFVII had plenty of disk swapping and is rated among the best RPGS ever... *shrug*

I thought the disk swapping though was only after certain events, so you only needed to swap the disc 3 times. Which I think is ok.

As long as the disc swapping doesn't revert back to the "riven" scheme, it should be ok.

 

[kyleb]

yes but linear story telling enables the story to be broken up or "paused" at certain points which enable disk swapping.

Yet at the same time, disk swapping requires the developers to break their assets up across those disks; where as when having it all on one disk they have the freedom to use whatever they want whenever they want, and hence alows them more options to tell whatever story they want.

 

[TheChefO]

Yet at the same time, disk swapping requires the developers to break their assets up across those disks; where as when having it all on one disk they have the freedom to use whatever they want whenever they want, and hence alows them more options to tell whatever story they want.

agreed

bluray > dvd

bluray = >$100 cost

bluray = necessary(?)

That's really all it boils down to. As developers have proven time and time again, for almost every problem/bottleneck they will find ways to workaround them.

 

[kyleb]

Or, as in this case, the developers will simply focus their work on a platform that doesn't present the problem. Whether or not you think Blu-ray is worth the cost is irrelvent here, the PS3 costs what it costs and it is using Blu-ray whether you like it or not, and FXIII is being developed for the PS3.

 

[TheChefO]

it is using Blu-ray whether you like it or not, and FXIII is being developed for the PS3.

In this context you're right and I can't think of anything else that would add to this discussion.

From what I can gather in your reply you're basicly saying it's coming out on bluray so why bother discussing. I've explained my theories on why I think Bluray is not a limiting factor in this instance which of course like any other response is based on nothing more than educated guesses. If a moderator would be so kind, please delete my post. Thanks.

 

[DUALDISASTER]

If it came on multiple discs, it might be hated more than FFVII was. Good thing they made the right choice

Seriously though, why bother with CGI in this game, when the graphics look so damn good? Save costs and do it in-engine, whilst adding to the immersiveness of the game.

Personally I think the "technical" reasons listed here are fluff, when in reality, it's pure marketing, but hey everyone does it.

Although in- game graphics are real close to CGI, there are things PS3 still can't pull off. Point in case, tons of effects and a huge environment. Granted, they could use L.O.D. to an extent but i guess that'll have flaws too. Another reason could be that it's their trademark...who knows!

 

[Npl]

Or, as in this case, the developers will simply focus their work on a platform that doesn't present the problem. Whether or not you think Blu-ray is worth the cost is irrelvent here, the PS3 costs what it costs and it is using Blu-ray whether you like it or not, and FXIII is being developed for the PS3.

The question is: Would it be any difference if the PS3 came without BluRay ? I bet FFXIII would be still a PS3 exclusive, its more bout politics than anything else.
Remember that Oblivion is an XBox360 exclusive because only Xbox360 has a HD as standard? Oh, wait...

 

[Npl]

Of couse it wouldn't be the same, and that is due to the technical restriction of smaller disks which you trying to doubt eriler.

It could be the same game, only you would have to act as discjockey.

 

[kyleb]

In this context you're right and I can't think of anything else that would add to this discussion.

From what I can gather in your reply you're basicly saying it's coming out on bluray so why bother discussing. I've explained my theories on why I think Bluray is not a limiting factor in this instance which of course like any other response is based on nothing more than educated guesses. If a moderator would be so kind, please delete my post. Thanks.

Bah, I go and give you good rep for being reasonable and later you edit the post to fall back questioning the credibility of the developer. Seriously man, please step back and try to look at this objectively. Which holds more weight here; your "theories" as a console enthusiast, or the words of a developer at Square/Enix? You can doubt what you don't understand all day long, but that doesn't do anything to change the possiblity that he might be telling the truth.