Worry for Final Fantasy X HD

Since the 14th of September (2011) when the announcement of Final Fantasy X HD was made, my heart has been skipping several beats, or in other words I cried tears of joy. Maybe that sounds wierd and that I am obsessive and really need a lesson on the great outdoors but that's how I felt and almost nothing is going to change that. And while I smile and wait eagerly, I know I am not alone. Final Fantasy X is adored by millions and of whom many would have rejoiced too and wait as eagerly as I do.

Since then however, there have been developments which makes me wary about Final Fantasy X HD. Mainly the developments of "lazy" ports of games such as Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Code: Veronica X and the first three series intallments of Splinter Cell. These games are said to have had the "HD treatment" and as a result are referred to as the definitive editions of the respected game. Now that would be believable if that were true but there's obvious evidence that these are merely slightly tweaked and upscaled counterparts of their former glory put out for the fan consumer hit. When one plays any these recent "HD remakes" there is the obligation to find differences in the games which prove that the games have been "HD'd" and unfortunately it is evident through the upscaling to 1080p (which most HD TVs display) which reveals the decay of aging graphics more so. Textures, lighting effects are mostly ignored and almost nothing is done to correct bugs and errors from before. Surely if a company like Capcom are to remake one of their games to HD standards then there needs to be an appeal other than nostalgia to make it worth the time and £££ of gamers and fans who this will appeal to. Sadly that's not the case and I won't even go down the line as to what this does to the reception of the game. I'll simply stick to playing the original GameCube Resident Evil 4 on my 32" HD TV, it won't cost me nothing and pretty much does pretty much exactly the same as the HD counterpart.

In turn these money grabbing ports of laziness worries me regarding Final Fantasy X HD. I am still going to have the HD version on my PS3 and on my PlayStation Vita but I can't help feel that this is going to be yet another straight up port and that no real attention and care is given to a beloved classic. Of course the controls will differ (perhaps mainly for playing on the Vita) to the original but for all the love I have for Final Fantasy X, I can't ignore the weaknesses of the FFX. There is no Game+ mode after completing FFX and if one is daft enough to wait for an end to "The End" screen then its perhaps handy to be sitting in a coffin because you could be dead long before "To Zanarkand" and "The End" screen finishes. There is also lag in the lip synch of the characters when speaking (notably more so in the Europe and North American versions) and contrasts of character representations throughout the story (i.e. during an FMV; Tidus' facial details and gear are present to full effect but in gameplay which doesn't involve the player's input such as when moving across the Bevelle Cloister of Trails; Tidus' face is rendered like Solid Snake's is in Metal Gear Solid (PSone)). These weaknesses will only become more evident when ported and upscaled to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita unless acutal work and devotion is taken into rejuvenating FFX for the 10th anniversary.

Sadly I feel that's not likely to happen and that Final Fantasy X HD will be a cheap port unfitting for the legacy of FFX and repuation of the Final Fantasy series/francise as a whole because Square Enix is currently working many projects such as Final Fantasy XIII-2, Final Fantasy Type-0, XIII Verus Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XIV and the many other prodjects under the Square Enix flagship such as Hitman Absolution and the latest Tomb Raider. Given the decreasing time until FFX celebrates its 10th anniversary, the team behind the HD remake of Final Fantasy X will have little time to recreate FFX in High Definition and improve on FFX's weaknesses.

....Which in turn kind of puts a dark cloud over my hopes that Square Enix will make Final Fantasy X-3.

But then I can be wrong and I would like nothing more to be completely wrong this time. I hope Square Enix notifies this and proves me and other doubters wrong and shows to other flagship companies like Capcom, Konami and Ubisoft what a HD remake should look and feel like.

The Pros and Cons

If you've been reading my posts on this blog then you would know I am a bit of a fantasist but at the same time aware of logic and reality. I think its clear I want nothing more then Final Fantasy X-3 to become a reality and preferbly (spelling!) based upon my concept not because its what I want but there are fans and people beyond count that would like to see it. For those fans who cherish Final Fantasy X and X-2 like myself, X-3 is like the remake of Final Fantasy VII to fans who crave the possibility, its a fantasy yerned to become a reality. For fans of the characters; would anyone protest against seeing, hearing and playing on behalf of Yuna, Tidus and Rikku just to name a few? For parody makers; new material would fuel their creativity and in turn engage with their fans with their work. For Square Enix and all of the producers, artists and staff behind the Final Fantasy series, a sequel to a sequel would provide a challange and an opportunity to capitalise.


But on the opposite side there are the cons including cost (both financial and time) and negitive responses. Some may dislike the prospect of X-3, partically my concept with the implementation of new ideas etc.


This thus far would sound like old news repeated on and on, and for those who are perhaps getting tired of hearing and reading about it; I apoligise. What I thought I will do is run through some of the pros and cons that come across my mind with regards to my X-3 concept becoming reality.

Pros

• Its not an original idea meaning Square Enix needn't to start from scratch necessarily. In theory the characters and the world of Spira wouldn't be drastically different from Final Fantasy X and X-2. With the development of Final Fantasy X HD, X-3 could simply incoporate the structure in terms of the look and feel of Spira (graphics in other words) and incoporate the new in X-3. Sure that's doing pretty much what was done for Final Fantasy X-2; using much from Final Fantasy X, to which rechieved some negitive responses but come on, Final Fantasy X-2 wasn't a failure (comercially etc.) (although some may argue).


• X-3 will allow the makers, developers, artists etc. within the Final Fantasy series to explore new ideas, theories, practises and experiment with new implementations in gameplay such as in battle situations for example. Additionlly it will allow the opportunity to perfect already existing ideas and implentations in other Final Fantasy titles which may have flaws or not well rechieved.


• Money! I know its a rather distasteful subject but its not like we can ignore the elephant in the room. Sure implementation of X-3 will be hugely costly (what isn't in the world of game development?) but then think of the sucess of Final Fantasy X, accourding to a few resources, FFX has sold eight (8) million copies since 2011. Final Fantasy X-2 has been a comercial success so who's to doubt the comercial success of X-3 when there millions of fans and gamers who would fancy the experience.


• A break maybe? The developers and makers behind the Final Fantasy series much face a mountain at times with the development of new and impending Final Fantasy titles. We all know there's going to be Final Fantasy XV (15) at some point of which will create a new world, characters, story, battles, implementation and so on. I'm not suggesting the implentation of X-3 will be a cake walk in consideration to implentating a new Final Fantasy (and possibly series) like Type 0 but then its not as though Square Enix can only prevail in the new without going back. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (7) implented new ideas to the series whilst be based on the story and world of Final Fantasy VII (7) and it wasn't rated as a failure (again some may argue). X-2 in a sense is the same and was successful so therefore X-3 shouldn't be any different (unless of course it was implemented shodily of which there has never been a case of in the main Final Fantasy series).


• Fans, with all the pros above, its undeniable that the popularity of any Final Fantasy will make any follow up, sequel or extension to an existing Final Fantasy a must have for fans. Say for example Final Fantasy XIII (13) has over twenty (20) million fans, the sequel XIII-2 will be eagerly awaited by those fans who will want to purchase the sequel. Do the maths; 20,000,000 x 40 (40 being $40 per copy of the game) = 800,000,000! If an online pass system was implented then in theory more will be gained from used sales as well. At the same time this will fulfil the fans demand in turn may produce even more fans who will be eagerly waiting for future installments whether it be a XIII-3 or a new title in the Final Fantasy series.

Cons

• For everything mentioned above in the pros, the opposite can be said representing a con.


• Cost, at Square Enix's core is a business which needs to sustain itself. Providing fans what they want or may want is all and good but everything must meet a cost efficentcy and if a major project like X-3 isn't going to provide a satisfactory return then its not cost effective and bad for the business core.


• Undoubtably there were fans of FFX who were put off by X-2 which is a blow. It goes without question that the same will happen in the future (with FFXIII-2 possibly).


• Used sales; stories of developers losing out significantly to used games sales would make companies like Square Enix and EA wary. Recent implentations such as online passes have been implented to gain some money back from the sale of used games but it still isn't the same as rechieving the full amount from the same game sold new. In order to make a gain, Square Enix will have to do something for future Final Fantasy titles such as DLC for example. Perhaps DLC in the form of music, themes, maps and costumes are a possibility, Dissidia Duodecim (o12) is currently doing this after all, why not expand?


• Negitive reception.


• This concept is based on several Open Office documents, there's no artistic sketches, no lyrics thought up of, no finalised logo or finalised documentation. I doubt the effectiveness of my concept's presentation to Square Enix if all the documentation and the story plots are written on Word documents. Especially if the smaller story and plot, "Lenne's and Shuyin's Story" is 319 A4 pages thus far, who would really want to or have the time to read and go through all the writing of this X-3 concept?

Well... these are used a few that were on top of my mind. Obvivously there are more but what I want to find out is what the readers of this blog think and what Square Enix thinks. If you have a comment then please do not feel alienated about replying to my posts, I appreciate any feedback.

Until my next post, see ya!

FFX-3 Update... a rather late update

My sincere apoligies, if you're used to the tradition of this blog and post service then you've been waiting for the September 2011 update for Final Fantasy X-3 "The Final Chapters" for over fifthteen (15) days. Its not exceptable, I know that. Holy shoopuf its disgraceful! It hurts me neglecting this part of the FFX-3 project, believe me. Honestly though the chances are that this post wouldn't be posted if it weren't for the announcement of Final Fantasy X HD.

Upon learning this I was enfilled with joy. "At long last! Final Fantasy X is going to be available on a portable console". Technically this is already possible through unoffical means (i.e. homebrew) and its yet another cheap cash in by Square Enix but I don't care about that.

What is apparent however is that this HD remake is due to the tenth (10th) anniversary of Final Fantasy X and here I am thinking that originally I wanted to send this concept to Square Enix, the developers and makers of Final Fantasy X and X-2 with the hope that this will be acknowledged and put into reality. There is little time remaining if I still want to achieve this (and you bet I do) but there is the occurring issue of work (at the Asda cafe) occupying precious time. If this continues like this I might have to send my work incomplete to Square Enix and explain this and that. Not that Square Enix is depending on me to implement this concept of Final Fantasy X-3, frankly I have a suspision that Square Enix will dismiss the concept because it will cost money, which the Japanese game market is losing to Western developers. If I'm wrong then here's my permission to seek vengence upon me.

As for reporting on the implementation of "The Final Chapters"... sadly there has been little. The party have been imprisoned in the Via Purifico, Yuna has exploded in rage over the actions by Raphas to Tidus. Lulu, Paine and Kimahri have been meanwhile imprisoned in the Via Purifico Labyrinth and eventually find Gippal and Sparky. Sadly that's about it. I will do much better next month or I might as well throw myself off a bridge (I'm kidding!). Until October 2011 where there will be an update on "Lenne's and Shuyin's Story" posted, see ya.