Are HD graphics the anathema of the classic JRPG?

Memnoch

Original source: http://playstation.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/final-fantasy-xiii-producers-traditional-rpg-towns-are-tough-to/

http://forums.eyesonff.com/final-fantasy-xiii/131346-towns-npcs-spoilers-within.html

In a recent interview with Ultimania, they say that the limit isn't the HD technology, it's the amount of artisanship. "Considering the amount of work to make graphics that deserve HD, it is hard to make towns in the conventional style," said Toriyama. FFVII's graphics were beautiful at the time, but when you consider that we all played them on a 4:3 TV SD screen rather than the 1080p HD behemoths we're all playing games on today, you realize that it's a lot more work for artists to put in to make the game look as epic as Final Fantasy should. That's one reason why FFXIII doesn't have conventional RPG towns.

Kitase agrees, saying that "it is very hard to make games on PlayStation 3 in the same style the games in that era had. Making graphics will take enormous time." So score one for standard definition and the limits of the old pre-HD consoles. Note that neither producer says it's impossible, just a lot of work. So maybe some enterprising young developer will come along and make a solid, HD JRPG in the old-school fashion.

I had this inkling myself when I read the part regarding an FF7 remake and how they talking about the fact that XIII took 3 years to make and 7 might be harder/ take longer to do it justice.

This is why I suspect so many JRPGs are coming out on handhelds. If a company like SquareEnix can't "afford," to do a JRPG properly for a next gen console despite the massive budget they assigned to it, what chance have any other developer got.

On the other hand if they do make a JRPG with slightly weaker graphics, they wouldn't be able to compete with the other next gen titles out there and todays vacuous gamers would probably start moaning "the graphix are teh sux d00d."

Makes sense then why it's just easier to make the games for handhelds where they are much cheaper to develop. I feel this is also contributing to the lack of depth in modern single player games.

Personally, I'd be happy with FFX level graphics upscaled to HD or something. Is this the official death knell for classic JRPGs for modern consoles?

Retr0gamer

The real reason so many JRPGs are coming to handhelds is because it's where the money is. PS3 really isn't doing that well in japan but sales of the DS and PSP are through the roof. There's no reason a japanese company can't churn out a decent HD JRPG, japanese studios have just fallen behind western developers big time this generation and need to get their acts together.

Memnoch

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The real reason so many JRPGs are coming to handhelds is because it's where the money is. PS3 really isn't doing that well in japan but sales of the DS and PSP are through the roof. There's no reason a japanese company can't churn out a decent HD JRPG, japanese studios have just fallen behind western developers big time this generation and need to get their acts together.

We can hope retro... we can hope...

Retr0gamer

I really can't see very many JRPGs heading to the HD consoles, the install base is just too small in japan. Just look at Valkyria Chronicles, it was almost a flop until good word of mouth made it a minor success. The sequel is now heading to PSP.

Even the next game by Monolith, an epic big budget RPG is coming to the Wii of all consoles in the form of Xenoblade (although Nintendo practically owning them makes sense).

I hope that capcom can give us a Breath of Fire for the HD systems but at the moment the breath of fire team is busy making Dead Rising 2.

Xluna

Well,Lost Odyssey proved a traditional JRPG can be brought to a HD console and look,play and sound great. Every genre runs in cycles and goes through highs and lows,then is reborn.
Ten years ago martial arts movies looked dead,now they're in again. The same with horrow movies. Four years ago fighting games looked dead.
The along came SFIV,Blaz Blue, V.F.5,SC4 and Tekken 6. The JRPG genre is going through a bad phase right now,at least on the consoles. But it will turn around again. Until then I'm looking forward to Dragon Quest 9 on the DS.

Raze_them_all

Do you know what I'd like in an rpg actually in all games these days...A game of substance, not just looks.


It's like finding an absoloute stunner in the pub talk to her sober and find out she can't count passed 10. Tis head wrecking

seraphimvc

Raze_them_all wrote: »

Do you know what I'd like in an rpg actually in all games these days...A game of substance, not just looks.


It's like finding an absoloute stunner in the pub talk to her sober and find out she can't count passed 10. Tis head wrecking

made me my day haha:D

i do believe the reason that we still play games, is because we somehow still a kid inside us somewhere,the kid who loves to listen to stories.

Good stories!!or some decent whore, in the pub case.:pac:

Memnoch

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I really can't see very many JRPGs heading to the HD consoles, the install base is just too small in japan. Just look at Valkyria Chronicles, it was almost a flop until good word of mouth made it a minor success. The sequel is now heading to PSP.

Even the next game by Monolith, an epic big budget RPG is coming to the Wii of all consoles in the form of Xenoblade (although Nintendo practically owning them makes sense).

I hope that capcom can give us a Breath of Fire for the HD systems but at the moment the breath of fire team is busy making Dead Rising 2.

I would sell my wife to capcom in exchange for a new Breath of Fire game, provided they go back to the classic formula that made me fall in love with BOF3 and not that dungeon crawler, punish you for being a dragon crap in BOFV.

Flaregon

ROFL there just to lazy to make FF7 because to remake it well it would mostlikely still take 3 disks to have all the HD cut scenes and gameplay.

Xluna

Flaregon wrote: »

ROFL there just to lazy to make FF7 because to remake it well it would mostlikely still take 3 disks to have all the HD cut scenes and gameplay.

They hav'nt ruled it out yet. If there's enough demand it will be remade. It's kind of sad that we're all getting excited about remakes of old RGPS, DQ,FF and Chrono trigger. A bad indication of how little the expectations are of modern JRPGs.

Flaregon

Xluna wrote: »

They hav'nt ruled it out yet. If there's enough demand it will be remade. It's kind of sad that we're all getting excited about remakes of old RGPS, DQ,FF and Chrono trigger. A bad indication of how little the expectations are of modern JRPGs.

I agree fully, there just mass production for fast profit, just look at how many Ds games there are there now, I'm not sure of the amount but i'm sure it must be at like 9 billion by now.

I hope to make games 1 day myself and the one thing I want to do the most is make an rpg that has an epic story & ending, not just epic battle system & and flashy Graphics. Diablo and half-life would be example, they take year to make but are total quality, Even if you don't like them you can see what was put into em, even homebrew and flash games are becomeing more fun. there have been a few gems thought on the new gen consoles.
valkyria chronicles for 1.