New Final Fantasy 12 info

[farley2k]

Not good news for me, but as seen here

Apparently the opening FMV sequence is a Xenosaga-length 17 minutes long. There is also no way to skip this FMV or any others in the game. To add to the difficulty, the save points in the game are few and far between. No more two and three save points per dungeon like in FFX. The game will feature a continue option like in Kingdom Hearts. The game is also 100% complete according to the website. There is also some sort of mini-game, no details on that yet though.

I bolded what annoys me.  

Long times between saves doesn't mean a game is difficult.  Hell I can save at any time in Gothic 2 and it is very hard!  



I have a child on the way and I expect that my gaming time is going to be broken up into smaller and smaller parts, so this kind of thing really hurts me.

[Big Jake]

There is also no way to skip this FMV or any others in the game

Uh-huh.  Thanks for the info.  I won't be buying this POS.  A game should realize first and foremost that I am doing this to have a good time - forcing something on me instantly ends that premise.

Edit - oh, and the save thing blows too.  I guess they are trying to openly punish anyone who likes their games.  Good for them.  Hopefully they'll kill off their own audience and open the market up for better games (More SMT, please.)

[Nth Power]

The save point thing is probably a game killer for me.  I just don't have the time anymore to hunt down the next save point if it's three hours down the road.  I hate that developers do that as a way to amp the difficulty on a game.  For me, it just becomes an exercise in frustration.

[depward]

Yikes, I don't like that bolded part.  They can add "difficulty" by implementing other things, such as harder enemies and so forth, besides limiting how many save points there are.

[Fellow]

And despite all of that, I'll still buy it.

Lack of save points is stupid, though.

[Dimmona]

If they make me watch a 5minute long cutscene before each boss fight that isn't skippable (and hence I have to re-watch it everytime I die), then I'm going to have to pass...

[semiconscious]

the original post from the japanese fan site:

"The production of FF12 ended recently would like to see being,
It is in time in sale day, so is.
@ In the game the movie is the accessory, but it seems that skip function is not attached vis-a-vis that movie.
The movie about of 17 minutes being prepared in, the る we would like to see, is, (explanation/releasing 杓 explanation/releasing; )
In saving place, saving places are few, it seems.
There is a continuity new function.
There is also a mini- game."


i think i'm withholding judgement...

[farley2k]

the original post from the japanese fan site:

"The production of FF12 ended recently would like to see being,
It is in time in sale day, so is.
@ In the game the movie is the accessory, but it seems that skip function is not attached vis-a-vis that movie.
The movie about of 17 minutes being prepared in, the る we would like to see, is, (explanation/releasing 杓 explanation/releasing; )
In saving place, saving places are few, it seems.
There is a continuity new function.
There is also a mini- game."


i think i'm withholding judgement...

I think I don't have a clue what the heck that says.

[Calvin]

IF, and its a huge IF this really is true, then, well. I will still be buying the game day 1, and I am still looking forward to it-but the few saves and the non skippable cutscenes are huge issues for me.

[Kevin Grey]

Cutscenes were non skippable in FFX weren't they?  I agree its annoying but hardly anything new for this series (and unfortunately console RPGs in general).

We'll see on save point length.  I have no idea the credibility of this source, whether they are getting this from actual gameplay or what, so I'll withhold judgement until we get reports from the full game when its out.

And neither issues are even close to game killers for me (especially in a FF game).  

Hopefully they'll kill off their own audience and open the market up for better games (More SMT, please.)

Can't remember in Nocturne, but cutscenes were *not* skippable in DDS and I seem to recall a long time in between some saves in both games.

[Gratch]

I'm not terribly concerned about the FMV sequences, but I also have a big problem with the save points.  I just don't have that much time to game anymore, and long stretches to find save points are nearly impossible.  It's not a game killer (the MMORPG feel is far more disconcerting to me than save points, but that's another discussion), but is definately an annoyance.

My understanding is that most games tend to get tweaked between their Japanese & US release.  Maybe they'll add in more save points for us wussy US gamers.

[Big Jake]

You are correct that Nocturne and DDs had non-skippable movies.  I never said they were perfect. :lol:

As for save points, I always thought Atlus had done a good job with them - .  I can't think of many times where I was really struggling to find the next save point.  However, I know I'm in the minority on that one.

[Destructor]

*yawn*

I'm not even remotely excited about this game (as you might already know). In my mind, Final Fantasy hasn't been the same since FF9 (barring the absolute stinker that was FF8).

[Galadriels]

Regarding the lack of save points, Square Enix did this with Radiata Stories, where at various points in games, there is only ONE save point in the entire gameworld!!  So to finish a quest, you have to run across entire worldmap fighting respawning mobs, go into dungeon, fight your way back out, then traverse the entire worldmap again to return to your starting point.  Absolutely no save points in between.

As for 17 minutes long cutscene, I would duly note that it takes 4~5 hours of cutscene and opening sequence before you even see the opening credit of Kingdom Hearts 2!!  So be thankful that one only has to endure 17 minutes.  :wink:

[Kevin Grey]

FWIW, someone over at Gaming-Age (who is reputable on these things)says that the correct translation of the FMV line is that "movies can run up to 17 minutes" and that it doesn't specify the opening cinematic.  So the 17 minutes FMV could occur in the middle of the game or even be the ending (which tend to run quite long in the series).

[Qbe]

I'll buy FF XII when it's a Greatest Hit and someone has a "2 for $30" deal.

Maybe.

[Darren8r]

I find the save points in alot of games far apart, but this game sounds the worst so far, but hey, I havent even played it yet and I dont usually judge things, including people by gossip I heard about them.

I'll have to try it. The best solution to this is leave your PS2 on and just pause in the spot your in, then when your ready for another gaming session, just un pause and get to that damn save point.

[Nth Power]

They really love it over in Japan.  
It received a perfect score from Famitsu.

Only five titles have attained such elite status before: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for Nintendo 64, Soul Calibur, for Dreamcast, Vagrant Story, for PlayStation, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, for GameCube and Nintendogs, for Nintendo DS.

Nintendogs?  Hmmm...

[CeeKay]

I'll buy FF XII when it's a Greatest Hit and someone has a "2 for $30" deal.

Maybe.

Heh, I just picked up FFX for 10 bucks.  Sounds like I'll be doing the same thing for XII.

[GGMark]

Didnt FF V have a LONG ass sequence for one of the sumons required in the end boss fight?>  The Knights or something like that?

I dont like non skippable movies, nor do I like the idea of FAR between save points.  I have the time to search for something like that, but I dont want my game to be a task just so that I can put it down.

[EddieA]

The game launches next week in Japan, so we'll know soon enough whether these things are true or not.

[WinoMcCougarstein]

They really love it over in Japan.  
It received a perfect score from Famitsu.

Only five titles have attained such elite status before: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for Nintendo 64, Soul Calibur, for Dreamcast, Vagrant Story, for PlayStation, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, for GameCube and Nintendogs, for Nintendo DS.

Nintendogs?  Hmmm...

Giving Nintendogs a 10 is like giving Fight Night 3 a 10.

[Purge]

Didnt FF V have a LONG ass sequence for one of the sumons required in the end boss fight?>  The Knights or something like that?

I dont like non skippable movies, nor do I like the idea of FAR between save points.  I have the time to search for something like that, but I dont want my game to be a task just so that I can put it down.

FFVII had Knights of the Round (the rare summon you needed a golden Chocobo to get). It ran a total of about 90sec per cast.

When fighting Emerald Weapon (underwater one that splits in half) I had to cast it a total of about 15 times, among other summons and whatnot.  :shock:

[GGMark]

yea, that was the one I was thinking of.  i remember watching the GF play, and I was bored to tears by the repeated summon.

[semiconscious]

yea, that was the one I was thinking of.  i remember watching the GF play, and I was bored to tears by the repeated summon.

boring to watch, maybe - but, man, that summons kicked ass!...

[Farscry]

They really love it over in Japan.  
It received a perfect score from Famitsu.

Only five titles have attained such elite status before: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for Nintendo 64, Soul Calibur, for Dreamcast, Vagrant Story, for PlayStation, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, for GameCube and Nintendogs, for Nintendo DS.

Nintendogs?  Hmmm...

Giving Nintendogs a 10 is like giving Fight Night 3 a 10.

I wouldn't quite agree.  For what Nintendogs is, it did it really, really darn well.  For me personally, the game lacks significant replay value.

I don't think it's quite worth a 10, but it's closer to achieving near-perfection (lack of bugs; full & varied implementation of gameplay for the genre; inventive and compelling use of system's unique capabilities) than FNR3 is.

That's not a rip on FNR3 at all, but as noted in the balanced reviews like the one here, there are a fair number of downsides to the game, although what the game does well contributes heavily to a fun factor that overcomes its flaws.

[weleavefossils]

even though I highly disliked ff10, it just seems natural to pick 12 up when it comes out..I like the setting of the game alot, I just hope they don't had heavy metal leads randomly in the game.

[Calvin]

even though I highly disliked ff10, it just seems natural to pick 12 up when it comes out..I like the setting of the game alot, I just hope they don't had heavy metal leads randomly in the game.

I dont understand how people dont like FFX. In fact, I miss it so much I am about ready to replay it.

[whiteboyskim]

Didnt FF V have a LONG ass sequence for one of the sumons required in the end boss fight?>  The Knights or something like that?

I dont like non skippable movies, nor do I like the idea of FAR between save points.  I have the time to search for something like that, but I dont want my game to be a task just so that I can put it down.

FFVII had Knights of the Round (the rare summon you needed a golden Chocobo to get). It ran a total of about 90sec per cast.

No joke man. I stopped playing long before I got into Chocobo farming but CrayolaSmoker did and he picked up the summon and just never took out Sephiroth. So I go over to his place one day to try it out and wind up beating the game by casting that one summon a few times. Boring is a good description of it.

[Darren8r]

I'd still like to play the game for myself and see how it is, it was recently rated 40 out of 40 by Famitsu(news story at: http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3148658)

Apparently its supposed to be good, I read this article(the one in the openning thread) months ago. I was just being to forget about it, but now I'm bummed out again.

[Calvin]

After the famitsu splooges, this is now my most anticipated game again

[Darren8r]

After the famitsu splooges, this is now my most anticipated game again

exactly, gotta love the Famitsu. There always right, I read them everyday!

[metallicorphan]

sigh...no use me getting excited yet.....i am in england and it isnt due until christmas!!!!!

why we cant have the NTSC version i dont know...all those european languages hold it back for ages here

[weleavefossils]

even though I highly disliked ff10, it just seems natural to pick 12 up when it comes out..I like the setting of the game alot, I just hope they don't had heavy metal leads randomly in the game.

I dont understand how people dont like FFX. In fact, I miss it so much I am about ready to replay it.

Well it's not that I hate it..I just hate many things about it.  I seriously loved it when I first turned it on..but by the end I didn't care for it at all.  It's hard to judge because I'm comparing it to others in the series..

[warning]

Eurogamer has chimed in with their review of Final Fantasy XII.  Their conclusion:

Final Fantasy XII is hands-down the best instalment in the series since VII. There, we said it. It succeeds on just about every imaginable level, combining a loveable and well-designed cast and suitably twist-ridden storyline with the most unique slant on the series' traditional turn-based combat system since it went all tactical to stunning effect. The variety, attention to detail and imagination piled into this small cross section of Ivalice would suggest that returning to the somewhat underused source material of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was nothing if not a stroke of genius. The beautiful architecture and interaction of the various races is far better suited to a fully fledged adventure such as this and every location is a pleasure to discover and explore for this very reason. You'll never tire of returning to familiar locales, be it for the main narrative or one of the many side-quests that the game throws at you, so much so that you might even find yourself churning out pieces of creative writing about your time in Ivalice.

9/10

So when's this getting released in North America?  

[Fellow]

We'll never get it. Never.

Seriously though, I'd expect it to pop elsewhere around the same time PS3 sees its release. In other words, towards the end of this year.

[GGMark]

wow, you really think we will see the PS3 by the end of this year?

[Fellow]

Who the hell knows at this point. But, I still wager FF12 will be released around the end of the year.

[Calvin]

Rumors have it pretty firm for the first week of October. I can't wait!! I put FFX in the PS2 last night really late and got so sucked back in. Its insane what that game does to me

[EddieA]

The latest word from Square Enix is "around Thanksgiving".