Final Fantasy XVI - General News Thread

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Hey Everyone

Keyblade Master
Dec 30, 2016
794
191
26
Unknown, Unknown
Tabata, after taking a big break (while supervising the DLC efforts), is apparently tackling on a new IP, so I wouldn't expect him on XVI or Type-1 (beyond, maybe, a producing role or a "special thanks" mention).

Out of the big names of the series right now, it's between Ito and Toriyama. If god wants to further torture us, Toriyama is the one, although I feel that, if Ito is ever going to do something this big again, it's going to be with XVI. Regardless of that, he will still be the director candidate with the biggest talent and knowledge of the company (Kitase isn't directing anymore, it seems, and he's got some big messes in the latest years).

I also really doubt they're, again, making trilogies out of their games. Or, at least, I would totally hate it: they don't know how to make sequels (if they plan them from the beginning, it might be different, but I doubt it) and I absolutely abhor the idea of a mainline FF having sequels. I'm very tired of seeing the same fucking characters for a decade and not having anything different to look forward to in the series (to a point where I wouldn't have minded that Versus XIII (my most anticipated game of all time) had been cancelled and replaced with a 100% different game that would take the XV mantle).

In regards to dates, I totally see agree with the ones for Dissidia, KH and FF VII-R, but I feel that the XVI one is incredibly conservative. Although I guess it all depends on when they started developing this. In a normal situation and in a normal company, it would have been some years ago, concurrently with XV (with another big team, like the one behind XIV); but, for all we know, they might have just started with it. I don't think this is going to be released after, say, 2022.

And man, FF Versus XV ain't happening. And no way that soon, anyways.
TBH at this point, especially after the FF7 Remake, I wouldn't doubt them making trilogies of mainline FF games anymore, it allows them to reuse their assets and create games in a more timely fashion as opposed to create them from scratch and recoup development costs on Luminous Studios Pro, and work off the popularity of an existing franchise within their mega franchise, but I also suspect that if Final Fantasy XVI was a trilogy, FFXVII could be one as well possibly(depends on how well XVI is taken) I would suspect they will put it in between part 1 and part 2 of FFXVI. I also added the XV sequels/Versus XV(It's an either or scenario), because it allows them to reuse assets from FFXV create 2 to 3 games out of em, and work off a popular franchise, where as a Final Fantasy XVI, you would have to create a lot of the assets from scratch, and build popularity from the ground up(or close to it), and it will be using the same engine XV sequels or Versus XV could be a good way to improve and test the engine, while selling games. I also put it in the 2019-2020, because Nomura should be done KH3 in early 2018, and part one of the FF7 Remake mid 2018, as well as the assets being done, and I wouldn't find it hard to imagine that BD2 aren't the only studio that know how to use Luminous Engine, so a Versus XV/XV Sequels or Prequels using the old assets, and a concept that is proven to be successful isn't a huge stretch, I also put them soon, because they shouldn't take a superb amount of time to create, like 1-2 years due to the assets being there however I'm not on the dev team and they might need to create some new assets. I think that XVI is pretty low on Square's priority list right now, and what gives credence to this is the leaker that got the FFXV plot spot on said that FFXVI will only happen if XV does well.
 
So then, Ideas. I'm making a list because it's shorter:
  • World Map is back, has no encounters (à la Chrono Trigger)
  • Individual sandbox-y areas with enemies roaming freely, area shape varies from flat plain to strongly vertical, connected by world map
  • Combat ist based on FF XV's AXB, but evolved - controllable character can be chosen at any point, no Game Over if group leader falls.
  • Combat can also be instigated by using ranged weapons or magick.
  • Enemies can be defeated by area interaction - use an oil barrel to set them ablaze or use bombs to start an avalanche to swipe them away.
  • Six types of magick: White; Black; Green; Time; Shadow and Blue
  • 9 characters in total - Fencer/Red Mage; Alchemist/Machinist; Paladin; White Mage; Black Mage; Dragoon; Hunter; Ninja/Thief; Monk/Blue Mage
  • Characters have personal "jobs"
  • Additional abilities can be taught by "linking" two characters in battle, i.e. being "linked" to the thief can unlock the "steal" command
  • not all abilities can be learned by everyone - some characters are more geared towards magick or special skills, others towards combat, i.e. the Paladin can't learn black magick or the thief how to use a shield
  • Blue Magick is learnt by using a skill on enemies to "steal" their Chi
  • Partner AI is controlled by FF XII sytle Gambits, individual orders can be given via button prompt or opening a command menu
  • Quests can be given by talking to (unmarked!) NPCs and inquiring about their plight, some sort of "Guild" or accidentally stumbled upon - either by encountering an enemy or finding an object (in the latter case, not all objects relevant for quests may be marked as such)
  • Quest outcomes can have direct and indirect consequences - i.e. failing to save a lost boy in the woods means there'll be a tombstone for him in his village
  • Design inspirations: Honestly, I can't think of anything - other than to go nuts with the locations.
  • Maybe Central Asia would be a cool inspiration?
  • Main character: Investigator - has general knowledge of the world, but is partly unfamiliar with some details of the core plot, stakes gradually become more personal (think of a detective story)
  • Referential "real" time-frame: ~18th-20th century (pre-WWI) Earth - technologically advanced to have some sort of machinery, but not fully mechanized, mostly still agricultural outside of major civilization centres
Any thoughts?
 

Hey Everyone

Keyblade Master
Dec 30, 2016
794
191
26
Unknown, Unknown
So then, Ideas. I'm making a list because it's shorter:
  • World Map is back, has no encounters (à la Chrono Trigger)
  • Individual sandbox-y areas with enemies roaming freely, area shape varies from flat plain to strongly vertical, connected by world map
  • Combat ist based on FF XV's AXB, but evolved - controllable character can be chosen at any point, no Game Over if group leader falls.
  • Combat can also be instigated by using ranged weapons or magick.
  • Enemies can be defeated by area interaction - use an oil barrel to set them ablaze or use bombs to start an avalanche to swipe them away.
  • Six types of magick: White; Black; Green; Time; Shadow and Blue
  • 9 characters in total - Fencer/Red Mage; Alchemist/Machinist; Paladin; White Mage; Black Mage; Dragoon; Hunter; Ninja/Thief; Monk/Blue Mage
  • Characters have personal "jobs"
  • Additional abilities can be taught by "linking" two characters in battle, i.e. being "linked" to the thief can unlock the "steal" command
  • not all abilities can be learned by everyone - some characters are more geared towards magick or special skills, others towards combat, i.e. the Paladin can't learn black magick or the thief how to use a shield
  • Blue Magick is learnt by using a skill on enemies to "steal" their Chi
  • Partner AI is controlled by FF XII sytle Gambits, individual orders can be given via button prompt or opening a command menu
  • Quests can be given by talking to (unmarked!) NPCs and inquiring about their plight, some sort of "Guild" or accidentally stumbled upon - either by encountering an enemy or finding an object (in the latter case, not all objects relevant for quests may be marked as such)
  • Quest outcomes can have direct and indirect consequences - i.e. failing to save a lost boy in the woods means there'll be a tombstone for him in his village
  • Design inspirations: Honestly, I can't think of anything - other than to go nuts with the locations.
  • Maybe Central Asia would be a cool inspiration?
  • Main character: Investigator - has general knowledge of the world, but is partly unfamiliar with some details of the core plot, stakes gradually become more personal (think of a detective story)
  • Referential "real" time-frame: ~18th-20th century (pre-WWI) Earth - technologically advanced to have some sort of machinery, but not fully mechanized, mostly still agricultural outside of major civilization centres
Any thoughts?
I would mix the AXB with the Kingdom Hearts 2/FFVII Remake battle system
Setting/art style: I think they should try and go for something FFXIII-esque say what you will about the game, but the art style was pretty dope
 
Setting/art style: I think they should try and go for something FFXIII-esque say what you will about the game, but the art style was pretty dope
Eh, they could do that. But, they should do it properly - one flaw I find XIII has is that it failed to commit to being either a full-on fantasy or SciFi setting. Now, that's a tightrope one can walk (VII, VIII and X succeeded), but XIII... didn't. I think they should aim for something more traditional fantasy-esque, to be safe.
 

Hey Everyone

Keyblade Master
Dec 30, 2016
794
191
26
Unknown, Unknown
Eh, they could do that. But, they should do it properly - one flaw I find XIII has is that it failed to commit to being either a full-on fantasy or SciFi setting. Now, that's a tightrope one can walk (VII, VIII and X succeeded), but XIII... didn't. I think they should aim for something more traditional fantasy-esque, to be safe.
I think that had more to do with the story than the art style itself if they can mix the two, I don't see the problem, but then again, I'd probably be alright with them setting FFXVI in the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythos. For me my wishes are for FFXVI
Mix of Sci-Fi and traditional fantasy
Mix of AXB, and Kingdom Hearts 2 combat
A highly diverse cast of characters
A Trilogy
 
Oct 19, 2013
410
617
So then, Ideas. I'm making a list because it's shorter:
  • World Map is back, has no encounters (à la Chrono Trigger)
  • Individual sandbox-y areas with enemies roaming freely, area shape varies from flat plain to strongly vertical, connected by world map
  • Combat ist based on FF XV's AXB, but evolved - controllable character can be chosen at any point, no Game Over if group leader falls.
  • Combat can also be instigated by using ranged weapons or magick.
  • Enemies can be defeated by area interaction - use an oil barrel to set them ablaze or use bombs to start an avalanche to swipe them away.
  • Six types of magick: White; Black; Green; Time; Shadow and Blue
  • 9 characters in total - Fencer/Red Mage; Alchemist/Machinist; Paladin; White Mage; Black Mage; Dragoon; Hunter; Ninja/Thief; Monk/Blue Mage
  • Characters have personal "jobs"
  • Additional abilities can be taught by "linking" two characters in battle, i.e. being "linked" to the thief can unlock the "steal" command
  • not all abilities can be learned by everyone - some characters are more geared towards magick or special skills, others towards combat, i.e. the Paladin can't learn black magick or the thief how to use a shield
  • Blue Magick is learnt by using a skill on enemies to "steal" their Chi
  • Partner AI is controlled by FF XII sytle Gambits, individual orders can be given via button prompt or opening a command menu
  • Quests can be given by talking to (unmarked!) NPCs and inquiring about their plight, some sort of "Guild" or accidentally stumbled upon - either by encountering an enemy or finding an object (in the latter case, not all objects relevant for quests may be marked as such)
  • Quest outcomes can have direct and indirect consequences - i.e. failing to save a lost boy in the woods means there'll be a tombstone for him in his village
  • Design inspirations: Honestly, I can't think of anything - other than to go nuts with the locations.
  • Maybe Central Asia would be a cool inspiration?
  • Main character: Investigator - has general knowledge of the world, but is partly unfamiliar with some details of the core plot, stakes gradually become more personal (think of a detective story)
  • Referential "real" time-frame: ~18th-20th century (pre-WWI) Earth - technologically advanced to have some sort of machinery, but not fully mechanized, mostly still agricultural outside of major civilization centres
Any thoughts?
You mentioning WW1 reminded me of how much I would like a FF in a Shadow Hearts-like "Alternate History" setting, which plays prior and in midst of WW1 in the real world, but with daemons, magic etc. Such a cool setting. The Shadow Hearts series is so good. If you haven't played the games on PS2, check them out!

Incidentally, Tabata said he would love to make something like that one day:

"Siliconera:
It does feel quite like a historical documentary. Why is it that you wanted to make a game in this style?

Tabata:
I personally love history and I really wanted to create something that involved real history, but to include some modern evaluations into the storyline and express it in that light. I wasn’t able to do everything I wanted to do with Type-0, but it was kind of like a child-run in essence. I wanted this to be a test to see if it would be received well by players.

Ultimately, I do want to create something based on real history—a Final Fantasy game based on real history, for example. For example; you’d have the American Civil war as a back drop, and then behind the scenes all of these Final Fantasy-type characters are utilizing their special abilities to fight. I really love that kind of setting. That’s the kind of game, I really, really want to make!"
 
Likes: Tornak

Lulcielid

Warrior of Light
Oct 9, 2014
3,826
2,826
28
Argentina
You mentioning WW1 reminded me of how much I would like a FF in a Shadow Hearts-like "Alternate History" setting, which plays prior and in midst of WW1 in the real world, but with daemons, magic etc. Such a cool setting. The Shadow Hearts series is so good. If you haven't played the games on PS2, check them out!

Incidentally, Tabata said he would love to make something like that one day:
You know what to do:

*Koozek travels to Japan*
*Koozek reaches S.E headquarters*
*Koozek finds Tabby*

Koozek: Tabata-sempai, could you direct that hystory FF game you wanted and make it into XVI?
*Tabby blushes*
Tabata: I...Don't know..
Koozek: Onegai!!
*cues dramatic music + sakura petals flowing on the backfround*
Tabata: I...I WILL DO IT!!!
*victory fanfare*
 
Jun 7, 2014
898
625
Poland
You know what to do:

*Koozek travels to Japan*
*Koozek reaches S.E headquarters*
*Koozek finds Tabby*

Koozek: Tabata-sempai, could you direct that hystory FF game you wanted and make it into XVI?
*Tabby blushes*
Tabata: I...Don't know..
Koozek: Onegai!!
*cues dramatic music + sakura petals flowing on the backfround*
Tabata: I...I WILL DO IT!!!
*victory fanfare*
Tabby be like "I-It's not like I wanted to make it or anything!"
 
Oct 19, 2013
410
617
You know what to do:

*Koozek travels to Japan*
*Koozek reaches S.E headquarters*
*Koozek finds Tabby*

Koozek: Tabata-sempai, could you direct that hystory FF game you wanted and make it into XVI?
*Tabby blushes*
Tabata: I...Don't know..
Koozek: Onegai!!
*cues dramatic music + sakura petals flowing on the backfround*
Tabata: I...I WILL DO IT!!!
*victory fanfare*
 

Tornak

Keyblade Master
May 18, 2014
718
421
31
Madrid, Spain
And has more screentime than Luna.


Now seriously though, if Ito isn't directing XVI, I'm gonna cry. This guy is one of the most important people when it comes to the entire series, along with Sakaguchi, Uematsu and Amano (and Nomura, from VI onwards, I guess).

And his directed titles are considered (and I do, too) as some of the best (if not, the best) of the series.

From creating battle and gameplay systems, to directing VI, IX and XII, he's the man we need. Do it, Matsuda!
 

Hey Everyone

Keyblade Master
Dec 30, 2016
794
191
26
Unknown, Unknown
Final Fantasy XVI Directed by Ito
With a story as good as FF7, and FFIX
World like FFIX, and FFXII or FFXIII
Characters as memorable as 7,8,9
Gameplay like Kingdom Hearts, FF7 Remake, and Final Fantasy Versus XIII 2011.
Coming to the PlayStation 5, Xbox Two, and Steam. Will come to the Nintendo Super Switch after a few months.

My possible specs for the next gen consoles
Nintendo Super Switch
x86 Excavator APU 8 Core CPU with 1TFLOP of compute power(out of the dock, the dock itself will have 8TFLOPs GPU compute Vega or Navi based), 16GB of HBM2 for the dock, and 3 for the system itself, and 512GB hard drive(games are on the cartidge)
PS5, and Xbox Two
8 Core Excavator
16GB HBM2
10TFLOP Radeon Graphics GPU(Vega or Navi based)
6TB Hard drive
Blu-Ray Discs.

This should be good for conslows in 7 years time.
 

coffee-san

Sphere Hunter
Mar 18, 2015
245
120
FFXVI by Itou would be great.

Setting.... I'm usually liberal on this, a mix of high/low fantasy is always good. Would love if the setting was a huge plot point for the narrative (ex. the conditions Spirans lived in during FFX).

My favorite FF games tend to have really clear, fleshed out dichotomies/ideologies at play (not always major characters themselves, could simply be entire groups of people).
Like Yevonites/Al-Bhed, Midgar elite/people of the slums, Gestahl Empire/Returners, etc.

I was really hoping FFXV would do well on the second point, emphasizing the difference in ideologies and lifestyles between the people of magic-based Insomnia and the tech-based Niflheim. But alas, Insomnia was wiped out, and Niflheim is almost non-existent outside of select few characters.

Gameplay..... ARPG or turn-based is fine. I'm leaning more toward the latter, however.
I don't think ATB is dead for the franchise like some others. It's probably still more likely to be a thing for the series than the action-RPG format.