General Gaming Final Fantasy XVI – Information Thread, update: PC version in "final stages of optimization', pre-release demo planned

[Keyser_Soze]

I think we are in a unique position here. Historically people come to Final Fantasy for the story and the gameplay is an afterthought. I guess when you make Final Fantasy a Devil May Cry game then people actually want more of the gameplay.

[eventide11]

40 minutes ago, Bacon said:

Oh, parts of the game will be for sure like this. FFXIV is the same way. However, there are 11 hours of cutscenes to the 60-ish hours it takes to get 100% (pretty sure Yoshi-P said that). I speculate that it will be like FFXIV in that it will lump a lot of the cutscenes together with minimal gameplay, and then have hours of content that is practically pure gameplay. I don't think the CS will be spread out enough for the quote to happen often. I do think that someone may set out to play a few hours of FFXVI only to end up having a movie night instead of a game night.

That's definitely something im worried about. Can imagine looking forward to playing after work only to be in a part of the game where there's 2 hrs of cutscenes then I'm too tired to keep 'playing'. Just not my scene any more 

[Bacon]

It would probably be useful if there was an annotated guide that points out story-heavy sections so you could prevent this from happening. It is a valid concern when you don't want to spend your gaming time not gaming. FFXIV actually has warnings when there are a significant amount of cutscenes.

 

For me, I think it is great and would not change it ever, but it is understandable to hold off on playing it or skipping it if you don't have time for that.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Bacon]

that I won't watch

[Biggie]

The load time is so fast

[skillzdadirecta]

On 6/14/2023 at 7:40 AM, Bacon said:

Yes, in 1999 I believe. Giga over shadowed by the PS2 and the release of FF10

That looks familiar now.

[skillzdadirecta]

20 hours ago, Biggie said:

Fair enough. I hate them though lol

That's fair... they hate you too.

[skillzdadirecta]

8 hours ago, best3444 said:

 

I hope so. I did have a really relaxing evening but I shouldn't have played the game. 

Or should you have?

[thedarkstark]

3 hours ago, Bacon said:

Oh, parts of the game will be for sure like this. FFXIV is the same way. However, there are 11 hours of cutscenes to the 60-ish hours it takes to get 100% (pretty sure Yoshi-P said that). I speculate that it will be like FFXIV in that it will lump a lot of the cutscenes together with minimal gameplay, and then have hours of content that is practically pure gameplay. I don't think the CS will be spread out enough for the quote to happen often. I do think that someone may set out to play a few hours of FFXVI only to end up having a movie night instead of a game night.

There's no doubt it will open up at some point. If there's 2 hours of cutscenes right at the start then theres 9 left spread over 60ish hours. Presumably there is going to be a lot of setup at the start, some sort of twist/climax in the middle and then a bunch at the end.

 

That would make the most sense. I definitely wish there were a bit less though. Hopefully this means they will cut down on expository dialogue, nothing like a character telling you "right, we're headed to X place" 10,000 times

[Biggie]

24 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

That's fair... they hate you too.

See this is how you go back and forth with Biggie. You don’t block him. You play the game with him. 

[Bacon]

Final Fantasy 16 copies are reportedly in the wild a week ahead of release | VGC

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM

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Physical copies of Final Fantasy 16 are reportedly in the wild, according to several social media users who’ve begun posting images and details of the game, over a week before official release.

 

Looks like I'm only staying on D1P for the next week.

[Biggie]

12 minutes ago, Bacon said:

Final Fantasy 16 copies are reportedly in the wild a week ahead of release | VGC

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM

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Physical copies of Final Fantasy 16 are reportedly in the wild, according to several social media users who’ve begun posting images and details of the game, over a week before official release.

 

Looks like I'm only staying on D1P for the next week.

Lucky us

[Best]

I was more wasted last night than the night before. I couldn't comprehend anything g but just looked at the pretty colors and visuals overall. I'm a dope head. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

This is a very odd "opinion" piece:

 

FF16's demo is a masterclass in pre-launch marketing | Opinion

WWW.GAMESINDUSTRY.BIZ

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Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox It's rare to be able to watch public opini…

 

 

Quote

 

It's rare to be able to watch public opinion about a game change in real time – and in the cases when we do, it's usually not a change for the better. Goodwill for a game (or for any other product or brand) is usually built up slowly but squandered quickly.

 

It's been refreshing, therefore, to watch the incredibly positive swing in opinion and word of mouth about Final Fantasy 16 this week, following the release of a demo for the game that has been an absolute coup for its marketing – answering the concerns of fans, giving acres of content to streamers and content creators, and intriguing newcomers to the series all at the same time.

 

It's not that FF16 is snatching victory from the jaws of defeat here – the latest instalment in the venerable series was already the subject of plenty of interest even before the demo arrived, partially because of its bombastic trailers that suggest quite a major departure from the mainline series, and partially because of the involvement of senior staffers from the very well-regarded FF14.

 

 

[Bacon]

2 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

This is a very odd "opinion" piece:

Guessing it's odd cuz it's just facts

 

I will say tho, while there was more faith in this game here and among some FFXIV players, there were definitely some hardcore doomers out there. Far worse than Xbob and I was behaving.

[Biggie]

5 hours ago, best3444 said:

I was more wasted last night than the night before. I couldn't comprehend anything g but just looked at the pretty colors and visuals overall. I'm a dope head. 

 Bruh wtf is going on with you? I thought you were gonna stay straight. Try the demo already. The game comes out next week. I want you to be able to talk shit about it and make Bacon get moist eyes. 
 

 

[Best]

13 minutes ago, Biggie said:

 Bruh wtf is going on with you? I thought you were gonna stay straight. Try the demo already. The game comes out next week. I want you to be able to talk shit about it and make Bacon get moist eyes. 
 

 

 

I'm completely fine but decided to use some delta 9. I'm almost out so I won't buy any for a while. It's just kinda like a treat for me. It really gives me great sleep and my appetite is much better when I'm on it, too.

 

I'll definitely have the demo beat this weekend. I'm off Monday so this is nice. 

[Biggie]

15 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

I'm completely fine but decided to use some delta 9. I'm almost out so I won't buy any for a while. It's just kinda like a treat for me. It really gives me great sleep and my appetite is much better when I'm on it, too.

 

I'll definitely have the demo beat this weekend. I'm off Monday so this is nice. 

Do your parents get high with you? lol

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I'm so mad that we have to wait for Final Fantasy 16 to release on PC, because it may be one of the best RPGs of the last decade | PC Gamer

WWW.PCGAMER.COM

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I'm officially a converted sceptic.

 

Quote

 

I bloody adore Final Fantasy, but I'll be the first to admit that I haven't loved the series' modern direction. I'm a diehard turn-based gal through and through, and I've struggled to adapt to the action combat of more recent entries like Final Fantasy 15 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I was worried my relationship with the games had run its course, but I've held out hope for Final Fantasy 16. Thank god I did, because I'm convinced it'll be one of the best RPGs we've seen in the last 10 years, and I'm pissed that we have to wait for a PC release.

 

Playing the demo on PlayStation 5 made me realise how long it's been since I felt so invested in a Final Fantasy game, outside of the critically-acclaimed MMORPG variety. It sounds daft, but I was worried it wouldn't feel like a Final Fantasy game. But it does. It really, really does. While the demo is only a snippet of the first two hours of the game, it's Square Enix's best attempt yet at blending traditional series staples with modern gameplay to reel in a new audience.

 

 

[Best]

13 minutes ago, Biggie said:

Do your parents get high with you? lol

 

Lol, no. They know I'm high it's no big deal. 

[Greatoneshere]

I'm excited for the game and I'm sure it's good but less good/more bland Japanese interpretation of Game of Thrones into a JRPG with no party members except the main character and the game plays even more as an action RPG than ever before doesn't seem like Final Fantasy to me? Seems more like Kingdom Hearts or Devil May Cry. That's fine, but that just doesn't seem like Final Fantasy. And playing a subpar Game of Thrones story (I'm assuming it'll be, given it's a JRPG and how generic FF14's fantasy world were (at least through Stormblood, which is where I am currently in that game)) I doubt I'll find that particularly inspired or mind blowing. I'm hoping I'm wrong in that regard as I'm not too worried the game is good on its own terms given what everyone has been saying.

 

I'm sure it's a good game, but is it a good Final Fantasy JRPG? I'm down for a good game, but what I wanted out of Square Enix was a good Final Fantasy JRPG, not a westernized Game of Thrones knock off single-player Devil May Cry-esque game, no matter how good it is. I'm excited either way, but I'm preparing myself for more generic, typical Game of Thrones type stuff than Final Fantasy weird anime shit type stuff. I just don't need anime Game of Thrones, basically, but I can live with it if: (a) it's done well, which I'm skeptical about; and/or (b) everything else the game does it does well.

[Bacon]

17 minutes ago, Greatoneshere said:

I'm excited for the game and I'm sure it's good but less good/more bland Japanese interpretation of Game of Thrones into a JRPG with no party members except the main character and the game plays even more as an action RPG than ever before doesn't seem like Final Fantasy to me? Seems more like Kingdom Hearts or Devil May Cry. That's fine, but that just doesn't seem like Final Fantasy. And playing a subpar Game of Thrones story (I'm assuming it'll be, given it's a JRPG and how generic FF14's fantasy world were (at least through Stormblood, which is where I am currently in that game)) I doubt I'll find that particularly inspired or mind blowing. I'm hoping I'm wrong in that regard as I'm not too worried the game is good on its own terms given what everyone has been saying.

 

I'm sure it's a good game, but is it a good Final Fantasy JRPG? I'm down for a good game, but what I wanted out of Square Enix was a good Final Fantasy JRPG, not a westernized Game of Thrones knock off single-player Devil May Cry-esque game, no matter how good it is. I'm excited either way, but I'm preparing myself for more generic, typical Game of Thrones type stuff than Final Fantasy weird anime shit type stuff. I just don't need anime Game of Thrones, basically, but I can live with it if: (a) it's done well, which I'm skeptical about; and/or (b) everything else the game does it does well.

 

Demo spoilers in this post. Not sure if you have played or are waiting. 

 

I think I have mentioned it here, but I have said this game comes across more as an FF-themed game than a numbered FF. I don't think that is a bad thing and I really like the story told in the demo. The GoT stuff mostly comes from people going into it already thinking it is going to be like GoT, IMO. It starts out showing a willingness to kill and curse, but it is the audience who assumes that the main character is John Snow, but he isn't even a bastard. He just wasn't the specific chosen one. People are focused on the politics and the game does treat them as important, but it's just going to end up being a "stop using the planet's/crystal's lifeblood" FF. At least that is what I believe based on dev comments. 

[Greatoneshere]

45 minutes ago, Bacon said:

 

Demo spoilers in this post. Not sure if you have played or are waiting. 

 

I think I have mentioned it here, but I have said this game comes across more as an FF-themed game than a numbered FF. I don't think that is a bad thing and I really like the story told in the demo. The GoT stuff mostly comes from people going into it already thinking it is going to be like GoT, IMO. It starts out showing a willingness to kill and curse, but it is the audience who assumes that the main character is John Snow, but he isn't even a bastard. He just wasn't the specific chosen one. People are focused on the politics and the game does treat them as important, but it's just going to end up being a "stop using the planet's/crystal's lifeblood" FF. At least that is what I believe based on dev comments. 

 

No worries, I haven't played the demo but I did read your post, and it sounded accurate that it's "FF-themed" rather than a traditional FF game. That's what I thought, and that's disappointing, but if a game is good a game is good so I'll play it, I'm not that judgmental on stuff like that but I wanted a proper FF game.

 

I agree with you that the politicking and multiple kingdoms and fights for thrones is bog-standard medieval fantasy, which is a bit of a shame but if it's told well enough or interestingly enough then I could get into the story. I'm just skeptical Square Enix can write good stories. Now, to be fair, I liked FF 15, mostly for the character interplay/dialogue amongst the four main guys, that was surprisingly well done for a JRPG, so if they can nail good character writing again in FF16, then I probably won't mind if the larger plot is bland or not.

[Biggie]

Will you who have played the demo keep and transfer your progress when the game releases or start over from the beginning?

[Best]

2 hours ago, Biggie said:

Will you who have played the demo keep and transfer your progress when the game releases or start over from the beginning?

 

What do you think? 

[Biggie]

51 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

What do you think? 

Put down the blunt and play the damn demo

[eventide11]

4 hours ago, Greatoneshere said:

 

No worries, I haven't played the demo but I did read your post, and it sounded accurate that it's "FF-themed" rather than a traditional FF game. That's what I thought, and that's disappointing, but if a game is good a game is good so I'll play it, I'm not that judgmental on stuff like that but I wanted a proper FF game.

 

I agree with you that the politicking and multiple kingdoms and fights for thrones is bog-standard medieval fantasy, which is a bit of a shame but if it's told well enough or interestingly enough then I could get into the story. I'm just skeptical Square Enix can write good stories. Now, to be fair, I liked FF 15, mostly for the character interplay/dialogue amongst the four main guys, that was surprisingly well done for a JRPG, so if they can nail good character writing again in FF16, then I probably won't mind if the larger plot is bland or not.

Paying homage to your icon i wish they'd continue Vagrant Story. IMO that game was ahead of it time and begs for a sequel 

[Greatoneshere]

3 minutes ago, eventide11 said:

Paying homage to your icon i wish they'd continue Vagrant Story. IMO that game was ahead of it time and begs for a sequel 

 

Oh man I fucking WISH. Unfortunately Yasumi Matsuno (creator of Ogre Battle, Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and FF12) has left Square Enix and Vagrant Story has been all but forgotten but that'd be a proper Square Enix game!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

 

Final Fantasy 16's New Game Plus Brings a Whole New Challenge – IGN First - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM

 

 

Quote

 

In our exclusive gameplay video (see it above), Director Hiroshi Takai and Combat Director Ryota Suzuki explain how the enemies you fight will change on your second playthrough.

 

“On your first playthrough, you can choose between the Action Focused mode and the Story Focused mode,” explains Takai. “After you beat the game in either of these modes, New Game Plus unlocks, and you can carry protagonist Clive’s level, gear and abilities over to your next playthrough. New Game Plus also features a new mode, called the Final Fantasy Mode, which makes the game more challenging.

 

 

[eventide11]

20 minutes ago, Greatoneshere said:

 

Oh man I fucking WISH. Unfortunately Yasumi Matsuno (creator of Ogre Battle, Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and FF12) has left Square Enix and Vagrant Story has been all but forgotten but that'd be a proper Square Enix game!

Yeah, I was kinda bummed when I finished that game 

[Bacon]

Unless I have to do the hard mode to 100% it I ain't doin' it most likely. Should just let people do it from the start.

[Xbob42]

2 hours ago, Bacon said:

Unless I have to do the hard mode to 100% it I ain't doin' it most likely. Should just let people do it from the start.

Yeah. I can count the number of JRPGs I've wanted to play a second time on one hand, and the amount of JRPGs I wanted to play a second time immediately after beating it on 0 hands.

[BloodyHell]

7 hours ago, Greatoneshere said:

 

No worries, I haven't played the demo but I did read your post, and it sounded accurate that it's "FF-themed" rather than a traditional FF game. That's what I thought, and that's disappointing, but if a game is good a game is good so I'll play it, I'm not that judgmental on stuff like that but I wanted a proper FF game.

 

I agree with you that the politicking and multiple kingdoms and fights for thrones is bog-standard medieval fantasy, which is a bit of a shame but if it's told well enough or interestingly enough then I could get into the story. I'm just skeptical Square Enix can write good stories. Now, to be fair, I liked FF 15, mostly for the character interplay/dialogue amongst the four main guys, that was surprisingly well done for a JRPG, so if they can nail good character writing again in FF16, then I probably won't mind if the larger plot is bland or not.

the only thing that isn't "traditional FF" is the combat. Everything else is extremely FF. 

 

Its not like FF hasn't dealt with dark themes and storytelling before. It might have been a different era, but the games have included everything from genocide to war to kidnapping and possible rape (Rosa from FF4 was supposedly raped by Golbez when kidnapped by him and Kane, but SE made them cut the allusion to it), environmental disaster, identity issues. 

 

It may be done in a more adult way, but there's no part of this game that isn't screaming Final Fantasy to me so far. 

[Xbob42]

9 minutes ago, BloodyHell said:

the only thing that isn't "traditional FF" is the combat. Everything else is extremely FF. 

 

Its not like FF hasn't dealt with dark themes and storytelling before. It might have been a different era, but the games have included everything from genocide to war to kidnapping and possible rape (Rosa from FF4 was supposedly raped by Golbez when kidnapped by him and Kane, but SE made them cut the allusion to it), environmental disaster, identity issues. 

 

It may be done in a more adult way, but there's no part of this game that isn't screaming Final Fantasy to me so far. 

It's funny, because I kind of felt like the exact opposite. I mean, it's got a big ugly UI like a Final Fantasy game, and the summons and chocobos, so it's not completely unrecognizable, but that bit of Final Fantasy soul or charm or whatever you want to call it just wasn't there for me. 

 

That said, I'd probably have to think on it longer to pinpoint what exactly I feel is missing. Because whatever it is, it 100% wasn't there.

I think maybe it was that it mostly felt like it could be a story told in any other generic fantasy setting with nothing really uniquely Final Fantasy about it relating directly to the story in a critical way? Again, I'd have to really sit and think about it. But even Stranger of Paradise had whatever it was, and that was game was stupid as shit full of "mature" themes too.

Because on the surface, yeah, again, we got summons and magic and allegedly crystals and even returning monsters, but not once did I feel like I was playing the new big Final Fantasy game, it felt at most like a licensed side game by another company or something. I'm hoping whatever I'm not feeling with the demo is there in the full version. That and some extra frame rate.

 

Maybe the outfits were just too practical.