FFXV discussion thread [No Spoilers]

[Nova]

My take is that i feel that the story presentation itself is still the real culprit behind various issues of the plot, and that i doubt getting rid of the chapter-styles format would have meaningfully changed much.

I think i mentioned this before, but i'll bring Xenoblade Chronicles as an example. The game itself was divided between chapters (Xenoblade 2 will also fallow this), the difference between it and FFXV is that unlike the latter the former made use of a more gradual transition & pacing in order to not throw the player off while keeping a focused narrative throughout the game.

I have no problem with anyone just not being fond of chapter-like transitions, this is however mostly my piece on the matter as i feel that utilizing the format could still work with much better execution, should S.E. still decide to keep it or ditch it in future FF releases of course.

EDIT: Agghh bad grammar edited lol

 

[Jubileus]

totally agree, it just feels like an artificial way to "categorize" the story; it doesn't add anything so...

Right?

I mean look at FFX.

No chapters but we knew we were starting a new “chapter” whenever we got to a new location or received a new objective.

I forgot if FFXII had it, but the chapter stuff got introduced in FFXIII wasn’t it?

 

[Nova]

I believe XIII did yes.

 

[T.O.T]

I forgot if FFXII had it, but the chapter stuff got introduced in FFXIII wasn’t it?

I believe XIII did yes.

X-2 consisted of 5 chapters which originally released for the PS2.

 

[Jubileus]

X-2 consisted of 5 chapters which originally released for the PS2.

Oooh that's right.

Played that game years ago so I forgot about that.

 

[Storm]

FFT also had a chapter structure.

 

[Ikkin]

I was thinking how would the perception of the story change if these things were removed/changed.

Spoiler: Something not so spoilery I guess?

Chapter 1
Opening Title Card - The Tale of The Chosen King, Savior of The Star (remove)
Cold Opening - Fighting Ifrit (remove)

Chapter 4
Opening Title Card - The Blessing of The Gods (remove)

Chapter 5
Opening Time Skip - several days later (either shrink or remove it)

Chapter 6
Opening Time Skip - several days later (either shrink or remove it)

Chapter 10
Opening Title Card - The Scourge of The Stars (remove)
Opening Time Skip - several weeks later (either shrink or remove it)

Chapter 13
Ending Title Card - The Chosen King's Calling (remove)

This changes don't necesarily change the story itself but it does change what the audience/players will be setting up their expectations for, the title cards always striked me as giving the wrong impression.
The large time skips also gives players the (perhaps unpredicted by the BD2?) impression of missing details/glassing over events during that gap (mainly what did they do in the meantime)

Thoughts?

Spoiler

Personally, I don't think the existence of the title cards is as much of an issue as their presentation -- it's just a little weird to have separate title cards and chapter cards. Merging the title card into the chapter cards for the relevant segment would render them a non-issue without removing content.

The cold open's problem, on the other hand, is that there's no reason for it to be trivially playable. Either stick to a cutscene or, preferably, create a unique gameplay segment for the opening so you can play as an endgame Noct upon loading up the game.

As for the time skips, Chapter 5 is in desperate need of an added cutscene explaining how the bros got from Ardyn's airship to the chocobo farm. Chapter 10 could use one, too, though I expect the necessary scene will appear in Episode Ignis.

 

[Jubileus]

Spoiler

Personally, I don't think the existence of the title cards is as much of an issue as their presentation -- it's just a little weird to have separate title cards and chapter cards. Merging the title card into the chapter cards for the relevant segment would render them a non-issue without removing content.

The cold open's problem, on the other hand, is that there's no reason for it to be trivially playable. Either stick to a cutscene or, preferably, create a unique gameplay segment for the opening so you can play as an endgame Noct upon loading up the game.

As for the time skips, Chapter 5 is in desperate need of an added cutscene explaining how the bros got from Ardyn's airship to the chocobo farm. Chapter 10 could use one, too, though I expect the necessary scene will appear in Episode Ignis.

Spoiler: Chapter 5 + 10

I always wondered what took place at the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5.

It must’ve been one awkward ride with all the chocobros all sitting on one side of the ship shooting dirty glances at Ardyn warily as he chatted away lol.

I’d say that makes for a funny scene.

As for the chapter 10 time skip and whether it will be addressed in Episode Ignis, I think that can only be done via cutscenes since I don’t think there will be gameplay stuff once he becomes blind.

 

[Ikkin]

Spoiler: Chapter 5 + 10

I always wondered what took place at the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5.

It must’ve been one awkward ride with all the chocobros all sitting on one side of the ship shooting dirty glances at Ardyn warily as he chatted away lol.

I’d say that makes for a funny scene.

As for the chapter 10 time skip and whether it will be addressed in Episode Ignis, I think that can only be done via cutscenes since I don’t think there will be gameplay stuff once he becomes blind.

Spoiler: Chapter 5 + 10

The potential humor value of the Chocobros having to endure Ardyn as they're spirited away and dumped off without their car is definitely part of the reason why I want a cutscene added there.

As for Episode Ignis, Episodes Gladio and Prompto both included framing scenes that show the episode's lead talking to Noct/the party about the events, so it seems reasonable to expect something similar there. And in terms of the timeline, the boat trip from Altissia to Niflheim is an ideal place for that to happen.

 

[Storm]

https://twitter.com/Fotmhero1030/status/925034630092410881

ignis really took his words to heart

 

[Jubileus]

https://twitter.com/Fotmhero1030/status/925034630092410881

ignis really took his words to heart

Yeah I noticed that as soon as I saw the trailer.

He’s a good man that Ignis. Best character xD

 

[Fireryu]

So I was playing the rematch against Bahamut and notice something in his phase 2 part of his theme. that there's a hint of the FFV battle 2 theme in it

 

[T.O.T]

"Friendly Match" my ass.

 

[Lulcielid]

With good timing and speed you can skip some floors of Costlemark dungeon (this also applies for Steyliff).

Some examples: (6:28), (6:50), (9:33), (9:50)

 

[Storm]

"young, carefree, naive prince..."

"burneded by duty and all the losses, willing to sacrifice himself, saw some shit in his life"

^powerful imagery

 

[xXShuyaXx]

Right?

I mean look at FFX.

No chapters but we knew we were starting a new “chapter” whenever we got to a new location or received a new objective.

I forgot if FFXII had it, but the chapter stuff got introduced in FFXIII wasn’t it?

Well, besides FFX-2, I'd go far as to say that FFVII/VIII/IX had chapters as well from perspective of the multiple discs. The transitions weren't abrupt and always switched at some sort of conclusion.

 

[Storm]

interesting video with some trivia you can only see using the god mode glitch:

(0:44) ruined statue of a robed figure, imo similar to the reapers you see on the Myth painting, but also could be a statue of an old king.

(1:42) the dungeon in cartanica has a giant drill to harvest minerals (used to manufacture magitek maybe?)

(9:10) this is mindblowing, the massive airplanes, that you see flying once, they actually transform into the pillars that generates the magitek field on the niflheim bases.

you can also see Shiva posing on the actual map of the second continent (zoom in on the area around ghorotas rift):

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...eim_Map.png/revision/latest?cb=20170106173700