Final Fantasy VII Remake: Part 1 Main Scenario Completed

[Andromeda]

In an interview with Famitsu, Nomura and Kitase went into more details about the progress of Final Fantasy VII Remake as well as their plans for the first installment. They did state that they already have the main scenario for the first installment completed. An explanation of what they mean by that if it is already playable or just figured out is not made clear. They said all of the areas of Midgar will be explorable, but given that size it is not clear if it is only areas we already know about or they do plan to make all of Midgar navigable. Wedge, Jessie and Biggs are going to be explored more than they were in the original. They don't know how many parts there will to be the game. They are going to give more meaning behind the hallucinations that Cloud periodically has at the start of the game. The cast from Advent Children for voice actors are planned to be the same for the game. And the ATB meter turning red is part of a new system that they've made that will change based on play style, but they can't speak more about it at this time. They're trying to decide if there is going to be a guard or not still.

Source: Final Fantasy VII Remake Plans To Delve More Deeply Into Biggs, Wedge, And Jessie - Siliconera

[Rowan]

What do you think this means in terms of development? Because we have already seen enviornments, gameplay, battle system, characters.

[Andromeda]

Since there is a lot of very specific details, but not a lot of clarifying details, I think we're still a ways off from actual release. But I think we're actually further along than what is just seen in the trailer. As odd as it sounds, a lot of Japanese companies like to say in percentage their development progress, usually when they get past the 50% mark. They even said so for FFXV. Since we haven't heard one yet for VII I'm going to guess they haven't half finished yet with the game. But if most of the game is about just remaking things rather than figuring things out, then development time is probably moving quickly. Seeing what they showed, they're in a Production stage of development rather than a Pre-Production stage. The only question is how long their Production stage is, because once Production is completed they will be nearing release.

I guess the curious question now is does FFXV or FFVII come out first. Because the first part of FFVIIR could be next year rather than 2017, even though that makes a little more sense at the moment. FFXV probably is still first just the way they are looking. But it seems development has VIIR on track to be out very soon.

Just remember, we still haven't seen Tifa, Aerith or Red XIII all would also be in the Midgar segment as well.

[Rowan]

Not just that, we havn't seen anything besides midgar. I really not looking forward to a whole FF7 game based solely in midgar. I hope they dont decide to do that for part 1, because I dont know how they can sqeeze 40 hours out of that.

Also, I know theyve hired other developers to work on the game. I think they're anticipating a deadline, me thinks 2017 20th anniversary of final fantasy 7?

[Andromeda]

Yes, 2017 is the anniversary for FFVII, I think January 27th in Japan is actually it's anniversary. Which probably is a gauge for the reason of their progress if they want to hit that day. Probably also another reason they split the game up. They realized they couldn't deliver the whole game on the date they wanted. So they're going to deliver on a piece of the promise with the promise of more to come.

What if it is open world Midgar. ;p That would take up 40 hours if they wanted to do so. But it is only like 5 hours of the game, so that's a lot of padding if they plan to do that. It'd make more sense to do the whole first continent I think, though there really isn't a good cliffhanger at that moment. The game wasn't really built around the idea of a good stopping point.

[Rowan]

Yeah I agree. I think it would be fine even if they wanted to do a stopping point on the ship that carries jenova, that would be a great cliffhanger since its actually the first point in the game where you see 'sephiroth' (not including the flashback).

But I think its most likely going to be in 3 parts if they do that. Gotta remember though, once the highwind is accessible, there will be an open world with no limitations.

[Andromeda]

Or the time with the Tiny Bronco, re-purposing a plane into a boat.

But yeah the boat ride to Costa del Sol isn't a bad way to end. Though by the time they reach the Highwind everything will have been created anyway I think, aside from the side content that is only accessible once you have the Highwind. Though if I remember the Gold Chocobo was the only way to get KOTR, so there are those few things still locked out until you get the chocobo.

And up to that point on the ship you've only seen all of Sephiroth's handy work. Which does well to actually set him up as a fearsome villain since you just his actions rather than him taking the action. So you're just left with the image of what he could be doing.

[nix]

The game doesnt get great until you leave midgar, i dont wanna spend 40 fucking hours there..this is shaping up to be a giant turd of a remake, fattening up the cash cow

And Andro, id lay money on them dropping that Sephiroth mystery and ruining it with flash backs from the get go

I'm now leaning towards the "not gonna bother my arse getting this game" side of the fence..

[Victoria]

Why is it a mystery? The game is 20 years old... it's NOT A MYSTERY! We all know what happens! >.>
And any FF/7 fan is going to get the game regardless, so..

[Rowan]

I think nyx means the reveal of Sephiroths character in-game isn't actually shown until the flashback, (but that technically doesn't count because its viewed from his perspective in the past and as cloud says " Sephiroth is far more powerful in reality than any stories you may have heard")

And its also as andro says, we see the horror he's capable of before we even see sephiroth himself.

[nix]

Obviously not speaking about just my own view point, It's a mystery for anybody who hasn't played it.. duh

It would alter the tone of the game, it'd be cool for other to experience it like we did the first time around.

I'm a FF7 fan and its looking unlikely i'd get the game, I said the same thing about star craft 2 when they decided to split the campaigns and i still havent got that, heck they only finished the trilogy (game) of that this year. They spread that over 5 years, thats the kind of shit we can expect here, instead of giving us the end product they milk it out over years and we end up paying multiple installments for one game. Fuck that, if i do decide to get it, it will probably be in 10 years when they are selling the entire game in one package for a price they should have initially sold it as, if they weren't greedy fooks!

[Rowan]

Tbh, i dont care if they 'milk' it as long as we get more content and a higher quality ff7 remake.

heee this is what ive always wanted =D

[Andromeda]

The important thing to remember right now nix is that all we're doing is speculating. We guessing what they might do. I can respect not wanting to be price gouged for a game. But at the same time, it's probably best to remain neutral and wait until we get an actual answer from Square Enix about their plans. It is certainly their fault for not being as clear as possible up front so we know what we're buying.

[nix]

Oh of course Andro, Its possible I'll end up eating my words, but with corporations like this, and knowing their only interest is to make as much money as possible. I feel its highly likely my reserves will come to pass, I've seen it happen alot with games in the past, and it happens more and more as the years go by sadly, especially with Squarenix.

[Andromeda]

It's definitely reasonable the fears you have and since Square Enix hasn't really done a ton to try to quell the fears that they're just going to be milking and taking advantage of fans desires for the remake, it's pretty normal to expect the worst. I just don't want our all over the place speculation to be pulling you in a direction since we're only as informed as yourself on what's happening.

[Rowan]

Have faith


holy is coming...

[Andromeda]

Yeah, but Holy wasn't enough alone, the planet itself was also needed to take action. ;p

With any luck they'll give us something more to go on next week at Jump Festa.

[Rowan]

Yeah, but Holy wasn't enough alone, the planet itself was also needed to take action. ;p

*spoilers*

Wasn't aeris' death seen more of a sacrifice since she knew she needed to die in order to manipulate the lifestream in order to save the planet? Thats my understanding of the ending of FF7

[Andromeda]

That not I'm sure. He was praying to the planet or lifestream whatever, but I don't know she needed to be in the lifestream to manipulate it. Because she died though she did return to the lifestream, where everyone goes back to if I'm remembering things right. It is also the will of the planet or something, since the planet can actually take action by using the lifestream to heal or defend itself. The weapons are part of that defense system. So I sort of doubt Aerith was needed for anything. The planet was going to probably act in defense of itself anyway, which Sephiroth wanted. Well he planned to make enough damage to do so, but it gathering as a preventive measure or after the fact still worked in his favor.

Though Aerith being in the lifestream and Cetra probably is the reason she can still exist as a single consciousness and do all sorts of hand wavy things to help out Cloud.

[Rowan]

That not I'm sure. He was praying to the planet or lifestream whatever, but I don't know she needed to be in the lifestream to manipulate it. Because she died though she did return to the lifestream, where everyone goes back to if I'm remembering things right. It is also the will of the planet or something, since the planet can actually take action by using the lifestream to heal or defend itself. The weapons are part of that defense system. So I sort of doubt Aerith was needed for anything. The planet was going to probably act in defense of itself anyway, which Sephiroth wanted. Well he planned to make enough damage to do so, but it gathering as a preventive measure or after the fact still worked in his favor.

Though Aerith being in the lifestream and Cetra probably is the reason she can still exist as a single consciousness and do all sorts of hand wavy things to help out Cloud.

I thought the planet and its healing and the lifestream were 2 seperate entities. The fact is shows aeris at the end just as the lifestream centers toward the action, it fades out on her face as if to tell us that it was her doing. I think she lured sephiroth to the city of the ancients using the white materia in order to summon holy and sacrifice herself for the good of the planet. This explains why she went by herself and claimed that 'only she could stop sephiroth'.

It should also be noted that REDXIII said that holy was "having the opposite effect"

[Andromeda]

The planet and lifestream are all the same as far as I'm aware. Aerith being Cetra is probably more than anything the reason for ability to do anything with the lifestream. The lifestream is supposed to be part of the planet and likely not able to be controlled by single individual. Her being able to stop Sephiroth is her having Holy to stop Meteor, which she was banking on being enough. Which probably would have been had Holy not activated so close to Meteor's impact. But Holy itself wasn't enough and needed help from the planet as well.

And until the spin-offs, a lot of people assumed based on the ended that humanity or at least Midgar died that day. Planet saved, but being that close to Meteor, Holy and lifestream probably wasn't good for anyone.

[Jeredin]

Thinking back on FF7, I believe the 1st part of FF7R will end shortly after the final mech battle they have on the freeway. Midgar is going to be larger than most of us can imagine, so the time it takes to explore and complete the story within Midgar will take enough time to play. The core of the party will be together by then. The fight with the mech and following scene of leaving Midgar was pretty intense; it felt like a main part of the story had shifted, kind of like the end of Empire Strikes back when they're staring out into space--except now it will be our determined party staring out toward the world beyond the "castle walls" of Midgar; the future is unclear and dangerous but they have to press forward!

The teaser trailer really focused on Midgar and how full and alive it was. You're going to be spending a lot of time there, for better or worse, so be prepared. That's be 2 gil.