tedrotheredro
Member
Seriously. Not much has changed.
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Final Fantasy 7 - An Oral History [Polygon]
- Thread starter Cheddahz
- Start date
Seriously. Not much has changed.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
they operate in this weird bubble where they keep dictating things rather than choosing to collaborate. Even with fans like when it comes to lets plays. It's really odd.
Sakaguchi was a legend, someone needs to throw this man a huge budget and let him free.
patrickthehedgehog
Member
Wonderful article with the highest resolution pic of Midgar I've ever been able to find online.
I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't talk about the differences between FFVII JP release and FFVII International. Other than that, fantastic!
I wish Square would have hired one more person to preserve all of FFVII 2D assets in high resolution. Too bad!
I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't talk about the differences between FFVII JP release and FFVII International. Other than that, fantastic!
I wish Square would have hired one more person to preserve all of FFVII 2D assets in high resolution. Too bad!
Shift Breaker
Member
Alright, I'm intrigued by this. Having perused the prologue, it definitely seems like it'll be a good read.
Randomizer
Member
Now that is some real game journalism, the type I would love to see more of. A great indepth look into, not only a ground breaking game, but a peak behind the curtain of one the industries most exciting and transformative periods.
Square leaving Nintendo for Sony is the stuff of legends and hearing about the technical limits of the PSX vs N64 stuff was super interesting. It's also funny the politically correct way many of them talk about it, mostly those whom still have a relationship with either Square or Nintendo lol.
Sakaguchi leaving Square really was the end to their golden age. The 90's and early 00's was just classic, after classic and in such short succession.
Square leaving Nintendo for Sony is the stuff of legends and hearing about the technical limits of the PSX vs N64 stuff was super interesting. It's also funny the politically correct way many of them talk about it, mostly those whom still have a relationship with either Square or Nintendo lol.
Sakaguchi leaving Square really was the end to their golden age. The 90's and early 00's was just classic, after classic and in such short succession.
PshycoNinja
Member
This was a good read. 
joeygreco1985
Member
This is good stuff, nice job!
Just finished reading the article after taking a few breaks. You can definitely feel the change of focus in the company after the whole TSW fiasco, from risk taking and creativity focused to mostly profits oriented. Even the employees seem to think so. The lack of a strong leader also seems to have affected their output. At least things have been looking up this gen.
Also that Square EA deal sounded pretty bizarre. lol
Probably the best gaming-related article I've read. Not only does it offer great insight on FF7 but on Square as a whole and even a part of the gaming industry itself. Props to the author. Hope someday we get similar insight on FF XV's development. Preferably when Nomura has retired from Square and can spill all the beans.
Also that Square EA deal sounded pretty bizarre. lol
Probably the best gaming-related article I've read. Not only does it offer great insight on FF7 but on Square as a whole and even a part of the gaming industry itself. Props to the author. Hope someday we get similar insight on FF XV's development. Preferably when Nomura has retired from Square and can spill all the beans.
TheJollyCorner
Member
I'd be thrilled for this to happen. The guy wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan 'personality' in an industry filled with eccentric geniuses. He certainly wasn't just some charismatic mouthpiece. He was a legitimate designer and visionary. He knew how to create, but he also knew how to lead.
I think there is still an important place for Hironobu Sakaguchi in the medium - and that reaches far beyond mobile games. It seems bridges with Square have been mended (at least publicly), so imagine a future FF (XVII... maybe even XVI) announcement proudly proclaiming his return as Producer/Exec Producer.
People would go fucking ape shit. Combine that with Uematsu committing to do the music and I seriously feel like that announcement would have tear-inducing MEGATON potential for long time FF fans.
Then again, as I've wondered before, maybe the man just likes living the good life in Hawaii, catching waves surrounded by beautiful weather and an endless supply of Mai Tais, not dealing with the stress of a AAA dinosaur in the current video game landscape? Doesn't sound so bad... but how bad is the desire to get back in the ring? One more shot at the title? It's a disease that infects all champions.
whalleywhat
Member
Amano said:
lol
I feel like this article should be referenced every time GAF is arguing about what the respective influences of a strong director/producer and his collaborators are.
He's been saying time and again that he doesn't want to do AAA development anymore. Just recently again in the Glixel interview:I'd be thrilled for this to happen. The guy wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan 'personality' in an industry filled with eccentric geniuses. He certainly wasn't just some charismatic mouthpiece. He was a legitimate designer and visionary. He knew how to create, but he also knew how to lead.
I think there is still an important place for Hironobu Sakaguchi in the medium - and that reaches far beyond mobile games. It seems bridges with Square have been mended (at least publicly), so imagine a future FF (XVII... maybe even XVI) announcement proudly proclaiming his return as Producer/Exec Producer.
People would go fucking ape shit. Combine that with Uematsu committing to do the music and I seriously feel like that announcement would have tear-inducing MEGATON potential for long time FF fans.
Then again, as I've wondered before, maybe the man just likes living the good life in Hawaii, catching waves surrounded by beautiful weather and an endless supply of Mai Tais, not dealing with the stress of a AAA dinosaur in the current video game landscape? Doesn't sound so bad... but how bad is the desire to get back in the ring? One more shot at the title? It's a disease that infects all champions.
Glixel: So, Final Fantasy will be 30 years old. What would you say if Square Enix wanted to bring the original development team back to make a commemorative, anniversary project with Yoshitaka Amano, Nobuo Uematsu, and you?
Sakaguchi: Well, we would have to make it in pixel art. It would be fun if it was a promotional video or something, not a full-length game. It's a lot of work to make a game.
Glixel: I'm curious what you would had done if you had the technical power we have right now back when you started making games.
Sakaguchi: I might not even think about making games. It would look too intimidating. It's not something I could make on my own.
Glixel: How many people made the first Final Fantasy?
Sakaguchi: By the end, probably 20 people. But at first there were only four of us.
Glixel: So, we wouldn't have a game by you if the technology in 1987 was what it is today?
Sakaguchi: No, I don't think so.
Sakaguchi: Well, we would have to make it in pixel art. It would be fun if it was a promotional video or something, not a full-length game. It's a lot of work to make a game.
Glixel: I'm curious what you would had done if you had the technical power we have right now back when you started making games.
Sakaguchi: I might not even think about making games. It would look too intimidating. It's not something I could make on my own.
Glixel: How many people made the first Final Fantasy?
Sakaguchi: By the end, probably 20 people. But at first there were only four of us.
Glixel: So, we wouldn't have a game by you if the technology in 1987 was what it is today?
Sakaguchi: No, I don't think so.
But I could see him make another mid-budget console game, like The Last Story. Maybe something for Nintendo again. Didn't he say they'd announce a new console game this year? He also said he'd be planning to open up a new studio in Tokyo.
TheJollyCorner
Member
-Pyromaniac-
Member
from reading this article I don't blame him, it seems AAA development left him jaded. He may have even lost a friend! But if he had free reign to do things his way I think he might change his mind. But yeah it's a lot easier to just say no I guess. I can dream.
Halfway through and this is just wonderful.
My teenage brain was always curious about the personalities behind these strange names I would see in the credits of the early FF titles but it was all just a large mystery(same could be said for all the great franchises I spent playing in my childhood like Castlevania, Megaman, even Zelda). Decades pass and you get snippets from random interviews and start to build an imaginative framework on how these game experiences you fall in love with were designed, built, and crafted. But its largely filling empty space surrounding breadcrumbs of talking points. Who are these visionaries and artists? When you discover a band or a film that speaks to you, its never so difficult finding background on the production and talent behind the product. A westerner that grew up playing Japanese games in the early throes of the internet though wasn't so simple. This article finally tells something close to the real story. Just wonderful.
I also have an urge to install FF7 on PS4...
My teenage brain was always curious about the personalities behind these strange names I would see in the credits of the early FF titles but it was all just a large mystery(same could be said for all the great franchises I spent playing in my childhood like Castlevania, Megaman, even Zelda). Decades pass and you get snippets from random interviews and start to build an imaginative framework on how these game experiences you fall in love with were designed, built, and crafted. But its largely filling empty space surrounding breadcrumbs of talking points. Who are these visionaries and artists? When you discover a band or a film that speaks to you, its never so difficult finding background on the production and talent behind the product. A westerner that grew up playing Japanese games in the early throes of the internet though wasn't so simple. This article finally tells something close to the real story. Just wonderful.
I also have an urge to install FF7 on PS4...
CrichtonKicks
Member
After reading the bit about Lost Odyssey in the article I"m not sure I agree. Sounds like he lost his touch there from a producer perspective. Lost Odyssey's development sounds like it had little to none of the hallmarks of the decisive, fast-paced decision making approach he used through FF7.
Goose_Se7en
Banned
Champagnepapi ain't got shit on the Champagne King.
Yabberwocky
Member
An absolutely incredible read. It was great to see Kitase and Nomura play off each other. Alexander O. Smith was a pleasant surprise, he offered some really interesting insight.
He said they were planning for it to be 3D, but didn't specify which platform. I really hope it's a console or handheld title, but a high-end mobile title is more likely...
Also, Gooch is in San Francisco and was just at Polygon's office, reading the article just like us:
Quick, someone change that "7" on his Macbook Pro screen to a "16".
EDIT > This wasn't posted here yet, but Polygon also published a full PDF with scans of the marketing plans of FFVII and FF Tactics: http://www.polygon.com/2017/1/9/14196762/what-final-fantasy-7-marketing-plans-looked-like-in-1996
TyphoonStruggle
Member
Putting Nomura in charge was a mistake.
texasairhead101
Member
I'm just starting the proglogue and I'm ready to sit down for a bit and read this. Matt Leone has somehow always been a name never brought up about writing but he has been doing this since 1up and man do I miss giant features in general. Everyone should read this.
IMACOMPUTA
Member
Anyone have a picture of the early PSX design that the eidos dude refers to as a toilet bowl?
Yikes! As someone that has worked in tax credits for a MAJOR film studio, it is fucking insane that Sakaguchi supposedly didn't even attempt to take advantage for Spirits Within, even to flat out reject the ask. I can't fathom what some of the finance and legal members under the Gooch were thinking at the time when trying to communicate this benefit. Just insanity...but well that production sounded worse than I recall reading about even at the time.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Exactly. Too often it would end with like, Gooch and Kitase, with maybe Uematsu if the interviewer was a VGM fan. Not this guy, no sirree. We're going after EVERYONE with a story, and everyone had one.
manzoman96
Member
Not even finished it yet but this article is fantastic! So cool to hear so many insights.
Now we wait for the FFXV version of this article. Who knows how long that would be.
Now we wait for the FFXV version of this article. Who knows how long that would be.
potatohead
Member
This is a good reminder of how important this game is to the entire landscape of games as a whole
People like to be spiteful or ignorant about it but articles like this are an example of why those detractors are so wrong about this game. This is THE game that brought so many defining features of JRPG games together so perfectly that it defined the genre and continues to define the genre
Its also depressing to contrast this to the current FF which is so supremely shallow in inspiration compared to where this series was 20 years ago
Similar to how there are so many detractors of MGS and yet it is the one Sci fi and stealth and socially minded game we will read about for years to come for how important it is to game design and ideas and stories put into a game
People like to be spiteful or ignorant about it but articles like this are an example of why those detractors are so wrong about this game. This is THE game that brought so many defining features of JRPG games together so perfectly that it defined the genre and continues to define the genre
Its also depressing to contrast this to the current FF which is so supremely shallow in inspiration compared to where this series was 20 years ago
Similar to how there are so many detractors of MGS and yet it is the one Sci fi and stealth and socially minded game we will read about for years to come for how important it is to game design and ideas and stories put into a game
afternoon delight
Member
What an article, wow. Rare in its depth and length. Wonderful read, thank you so much for sharing!
YankeeDonB
Member
Loved reading this, really nice work.
Amazing to think of early PS development environment at SE. Gooch just running on a wing and a prayer and a 100 million dollar budget, taking it Rambo-style, day-by-day.
Amazing to think of early PS development environment at SE. Gooch just running on a wing and a prayer and a 100 million dollar budget, taking it Rambo-style, day-by-day.
Spikematic
Member
This is a stellar accomplishment by Polygon. Having a blast reading through all that. So much gold.
McMoneyman
Member
Reading that Sony document how to market FF7 was pretty interesting.
Also loved the banter between Kitase and Nomura!
Also loved the banter between Kitase and Nomura!
LordOfLore
Banned
This is something I always forgot about TSW:
Heh, people are already messing with the text for jokes etc:
Heh, people are already messing with the text for jokes etc:
Jo Shishido's Cheeks
Member
Looking forward to reading this, thanks for posting
LordOfLore
Banned
They wanted to do it while as much of the original team could be assembled as possible IIRC. Think it was at E3.