Final Fantasy XIII Barely Begins Production

[BlackPete]

IGN (http://www.ign.com) is reporting that FFXIII may take a lot longer than anyone expected:

According to Sony's press materials, the highly anticipated RPG sequel is now 13% complete. Yes, a low, unlucky completion percentage. But thankfully it's not as low as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which is listed as 1.3%!

At that rate, a 2008 release is looking unlikely, and even 2009 may be pushing it once you throw in localization for a world-wide release.

The full article and a couple of new screenshots are here (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/805/805646p1.html).

[Zeal]

this game will be delayed once more, then delayed indefinitely, then go multi-platform. they are losing too much money on development.

mark my words.

[frederec]

I'll take this as good news. I keep hoping by the times the games I really want come stateside (White Knight Story, Disgaea 3, FFXIII), the PS3 will be affordable.

[UnderHero5]

Glad I don't care that much for FF games (or jRPG's in general), or I might be disappointed. This sucks for FF fans though.

[Xerxes]

Stop making those damn FMVs and do some actual fucking work.

[EvilBob46]

Looks like a marketing stunt to me. Final Fantasy 13. And 13% complete for the main entry in the series and 1.3% complete for the spin-off. These numbers are not coincidence.

[CooterTKE]

Looks like a marketing stunt to me. Final Fantasy 13. And 13% complete for the main entry in the series and 1.3% complete for the spin-off. These numbers are not coincidence.

i was looking at that and thought it was odd. Personally this is one of the games that will make me buy a PS3 sooner or later.

[Mdot23]

geez, that's pretty weak for FF fans. hope it turns out sick if they're taking that long.

[Valkyrist]

I seriously doubt the game is only 13% complete. Probably a mistranslation or something. But they've been working on this game for at LEAST 3 years now (was started halfway through ff12's production).

[Codicier]

Stop making those damn FMVs and do some actual fucking work.

I concur. All the studios that have awesome CG also take forever to make games, just look at Blizzard, and they've got like an 85 person dedicated team for CG or something!

[TheFlyingOrc]

I seriously doubt the game is only 13% complete. Probably a mistranslation or something. But they've been working on this game for at LEAST 3 years now (was started halfway through ff12's production).
It is possible they have been delaying to let the PS3 get some install base.

[rhagen]

The multiple 13's is just their way of saying stop asking us about when it will be done. I'm sure it's way more then 13% done, they just want a "it's finished when it's finished" outlook right now.

[Devilturnip]

Maybe by the time it's out, a PS3 will be affordable.

*ba-dum-psh!*

[Mdot23]

Personally, I think that graphics are good enough at this point, and the whole FMV thing should be ditched. Just use your engine to make cinematics, especially if it's going to slow your development cycle too much (not saying that's the case with this, just a thought).

[Gott]

Exactly...I might be up for buying a ps3 by the time this comes out. It could be around $350 by the time 2009 rolls around.

[oldjadedgamer]

2008 US version CONFIRMED!!

[Vanthar]

At that rate, a 2008 release is looking unlikely, and even 2009 may be pushing it once you throw in localization for a world-wide release.

It's clearly sarcasm on Square's part. They were unusually slow with FF12, but I don't think they're going to be that bad again.

[Gott]

CONFIRMED has no bearing on a DELAY!!

[TheFlyingOrc]

It's clearly sarcasm on Square's part. They were unusually slow with FF12, but I don't think they're going to be that bad again.
It would have to come out in 2010 to be that bad again. 2009 would be bad, but not THAT bad.(well, 11 DID come in between 10 and 12, but who cares about 11?)

(edit: Shutup in advance, Gorvi)

[Zanch]

It's a joke...they're saying "Just shut up and stop asking us, they'll be done when they're done".

[wezlypipz]

Wow, I wish they never even mentioned this game until they were closer to completeing it. Very lame indeed Square Enix.

[karak]

13% of the Full Motion Videos have been completed excellent. Only 74% remains until they can work on the actual 13% of game play they plan to add...between cut scenes and shit.

[Gorvi]

The multiple 13's is just their way of saying stop asking us about when it will be done. I'm sure it's way more then 13% done, they just want a "it's finished when it's finished" outlook right now.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Give this man a prize.

EDIT : It's kinds sad that nobody else noticed the multiple use of the numbers 1 and 3 in sequence for Final Fantasy freakin' 13.

[Valkyrist]

It is possible they have been delaying to let the PS3 get some install base.

FF13 ***CREATES*** an install base. Not the other way around =P

[Gorvi]

13% of the Full Motion Videos have been completed excellent. Only 74% remains until they can work on the actual 13% of game play they plan to add...between cut scenes and shit.
Maybe you should try actually playing a recent FF before making that comment.

[torrefaction]

Are those fucking storm troopers?

[CooterTKE]

hopefully this game takes about 200 hours to complete. I need a large RPG to waste my life on, plus the wife doesn't complain when I play FF games.

[BlackPete]

Ding! Ding! Ding! Give this man a prize.

EDIT : It's kinds sad that nobody else noticed the multiple use of the numbers 1 and 3 in sequence for Final Fantasy freakin' 13.

A joke in press materials? ;)

Sure, you could joke in press materials you send to the press, but what else do you expect the press to do with what they were given?

[Gorvi]

A joke in press materials? ;)

Sure, you could joke in press materials you send to the press, but what else do you expect the press to do with what they were given?
Haha, yeah, I know, but to think that a game that's been in development for over 2 years now would only be 13% done would be a bit gullible, don't ya think? :p

[CooterTKE]

well at that rate of 13% in two years only 14 more years before we see this game. :rolleyes:

[alienchild]

It would have to come out in 2010 to be that bad again. 2009 would be bad, but not THAT bad.(well, 11 DID come in between 10 and 12, but who cares about 11?)

(edit: Shutup in advance, Gorvi)

The fact that they actually didn't make 11 a "by-product" and included it in the series chronology is a fucking disgrace.

[Gorvi]

It would have to come out in 2010 to be that bad again. 2009 would be bad, but not THAT bad.(well, 11 DID come in between 10 and 12, but who cares about 11?)

(edit: Shutup in advance, Gorvi)
Funny how you know when you're wrong. ;)

[EvilBob46]

13% of the Full Motion Videos have been completed excellent. Only 74% remains until they can work on the actual 13% of game play they plan to add...between cut scenes and shit.

Ever played Final Fantasy XII?

[jpublic]

Seriously guys, the FMV bitching is tired. Fine, you felt the games had a lot of FMV. You know what, even if you skipped every last one, the games were still bloody long and were fun to play.

STFU about it already. Move on.

[Incidence]

Ding! Ding! Ding! Give this man a prize.

EDIT : It's kinds sad that nobody else noticed the multiple use of the numbers 1 and 3 in sequence for Final Fantasy freakin' 13.
I'm not that familiar with Square as a company do they normally joke in official press releases that could drive their share price down? Does Sony normally joke about things that could drive adoption rates of their console even lower?

Is it possible it's a joke? Absolutely. Is it smart or even likely? No, not so much.

[BlackPete]

Move on.

I would but I got a couple more FMVs to go first :(

[Beelzebub]

I'll take this as good news. I keep hoping by the times the games I really want come stateside (White Knight Story, Disgaea 3, FFXIII), the PS3 will be affordable.

I agree 100%. Disgaea 3 will make me buy a PS3 but it will probably be several years before it comes stateside.

[CooterTKE]

FMV are great because it gives you a chance to get up and stretch or to add moisture drops to the contacts from staring at a tv for 6 hours.

[Camel]

The FMV scenes in FFXII (at least, what I played of it) were great!

For those complaining about too many videos, I'd love to hear what you think of the Metal Gear Solid series. UGH. Although I guess in that case it's not too many videos, just the length of said videos.

[Gorvi]

I agree 100%. Disgaea 3 will make me buy a PS3 but it will probably be several years before it comes stateside.
The turnaround time is usually around 6 months for NIS's games, so I doubt you'll have to wait years for a game that's supposed to come out in Japan this Winter.

I'm not that familiar with Square as a company do they normally joke in official press releases that could drive their share price down? Does Sony normally joke about things that could drive adoption rates of their console even lower?

Is it possible it's a joke? Absolutely. Is it smart or even likely? No, not so much.
Oh, I'm not going to say it's a good joke, but it's still a joke.

[karak]

Maybe you should try actually playing a recent FF before making that comment.
Call down sonyman just making a joke like half the others. Breath man.

[DeadlyDonkey]

I also found it astounding that nobody noticed the heavy use of the number thirteen in those percent completion statistics.

Square's laughing at us all!

[oldjadedgamer]

As long as they still put in a bunch of little effeminate looking boys with their shirts off in the game, I'll be happy!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/445516448_98d27fc456.jpg

[BlackPete]

For those complaining about too many videos, I'd love to hear what you think of the Metal Gear Solid series. UGH. Although I guess in that case it's not too many videos, just the length of said videos.

The introductory FMV in MGS2 was the reason why I never even got to play the game. I sat through the entire thing once, played the game for a bit, thought "Cool I'll check it out later" and turned the game off.... only to discover that the FMV started up again next time I booted the game. Argh!

I know, I'm told that you could skip it... but I swear that I pressed all the buttons and still couldn't skip it back then (it was when MGS2 first shipped). :confused:

Ah well, I hear the game sucked anyway.

[51|RandoM]

The numbers are kind of meaningless without some more information.

What is the staffing level for the duration of the project? Is it constant, does it ramp up? Do we use a core team of 10 people to nail down a concept at the start, and then pile a couple hundred people onto the project once we have the concept in place?

Is that percentage they mentioned an estimate based upon content, or upon duration of project? Does each percentage point require the same amount of calendar days?

I've only really liked 3 or 4 of Square's games. Hopefully I'll like these two too, but I'm not going to lose any sleep worrying about when they're going to be released.

[Xerxes]

As long as they still put in a bunch of little effeminate looking boys with their shirts off in the game, I'll be happy!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/445516448_98d27fc456.jpg
I didn't know Hellbug had a game. :D

[LiveRatavar]

I expect this game out fall 2009 for Japan maybe even later. By the time its out in the states the PS3 will have 3 more pricedrops an 2 more SKU's

[Camel]

I didn't know Hellbug had a game. :D
That dude has normal-colored hair, and therefore can't be Hellbug!

[oldjadedgamer]

I've only really liked 3 or 4 of Square's games. Hopefully I'll like these two too, but I'm not going to lose any sleep worrying about when they're going to be released.

I've only liked one game they made:

http://www.classicplastic.net/dvgi/reviewsNESradracer-00.jpg

[Crabby]

Personally, I think that graphics are good enough at this point, and the whole FMV thing should be ditched. Just use your engine to make cinematics, especially if it's going to slow your development cycle too much (not saying that's the case with this, just a thought).

Lost Odyssey.

[Xerxes]

That dude has normal-colored hair, and therefore can't be Hellbug!
And he's not wearing ladies pants, but it still fits somehow.

[Incidence]

For those complaining about too many videos, I'd love to hear what you think of the Metal Gear Solid series. UGH. Although I guess in that case it's not too many videos, just the length of said videos.
MGS and Xenosaga weren't really games at all, they were movies with a few interactive points.

[jadkins555]

As long as they still put in a bunch of little effeminate looking boys with their shirts off in the game, I'll be happy!!!

I've played the game before in front of people sincerely asking if some of the male characters were girls. All joking aside, they really do look feminine.

[Chris_D]

Sounds like 2010 for me. Something for us to look forward to anyway.

[Midda]

Holy shit, I didn't know Rad Racer was by Square. That game was rad!

EDIT: Hahaha, [very lame] pun not intended.

[roboninja]

Call down sonyman just making a joke like half the others. Breath man.
Call down sonyman? From where? What's his number? And Breath? What about breath? How many breaths? Your post is so mysterious.

[IagoTheHunted]

Completion percentages don't mean much of anything since game development isn't nearly linear enough to derive an actual number that means anything. If they gave really low numbers it's because they aren't anywhere near being done, it's hardly a surprise since FF is already outrageously graphics-intensive and next-gen means it's exponentially harder to produce art for than previous iterations. I'd be shocked if this game wasn't in development for a few more years.

[Khash]

Gee... FF13 and Versus 13 are %13 and %1.3 complete... Those numbers don't sound totally made up at all. No way... I'm sure it's all totally legit. I mean, there's nothing weird about a game called FF13 or Versus 13 being %13 and %1.3 complete. Nothing at all.

Common, I can't be the only person who understands that this is a joke, right?