Tetsuya Nomura Details Final Fantasy XV, and How the PS4's Memory Turned Impossible into Possible

Today Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia released a new video interview of the series “Conversations with the Creators”, and this time around the protagonist of the interview is Final Fantasy XV‘s director Tetsuya Nomura.

Nomura-san had a lot to say about the game’s systems, the tech it’s based on, its story and themes, and the synergy with the PS4. Below here's a full translated summary of the points he makes in the interview.

[black0o]

thx .. i was looking/waiting for some1 to translate it

[Abriael]

My pleasure. He does say quite a lot of interesting things, but all these interviews are definitely pretty good :D

Sony should definitely publish them in English sooner or later.

[Ame_No_Shiryuu]

this is what i've been waiting for the entire generation.., YEAAHH!!, keep it coming Baby..!!! ^^

[abzdine]

why is he talking PS4 memory when the game is multiplatform?
i have no interest in this game since it's an A-RPG. Give me a PSone type of FF experience if you want me in.
FF is dead after FF12, now use that phoenix feather to make it alive again.

[SirBradders]

@Abzdine i find all forms of game play fun all i am after in ff15 is a epic story which is what final fantasy is about for me.

The rpg element can evolve because i would prefer a living breathing world where encounters with monsters are not like the original and for that to work i think it needs to go a little action based but with RPG elements still there.

I know what you what you mean but sometimes things need to change to bring in the modern day gamer.

[Harkins1721]

@Abzdine So FF is dead after having 2 mediocre games? We all know FFXIV was rebuilt and successful. XIII-3 looks to be good. Id say FF was dead if they released bad game after bad game.

[Minato-Namikaze]

@abzdine i dont know if you know this but Nomura is a Sony and nintendo fanboy. He doesnt care for the 360 at all, if it was up to him FFXV and KH3 would be PS exclusives.

[abzdine]

@SirBradders:
sorry but compared to even FF1, FFXIII is a change to much worse.

@Harkins1721:
compare the depth of FF6, 7 8 or 9 to FFXIII, the result is laughable on FF corridor 13, or compare it to the freedom of FF12.
The magic isn't there anymore.

@Minato-Namikaze: i don't know where you get that from, do you have a source where HE claims he was a Sony fanboy? the guy's following where he sees profit, and this gen PS3 AND 360 are in that case. but regardless of being fanboy or not, he still talkes about the game like if it was a PS4 exclusive, which isn't the case.

[P0werVR]

Residency, residency, residency!

Hhmmmm, I wonder which "one" has efficient memory residency...?

[ShinMaster]

@ abzdine

What is it with you and your obsession with Nomura not talking about Xbox? Does it really bug you that much?

Let's be honest here. No one in Japan cares for Xbox and no Xbox-only gamer in the West cares about JRPGs. That's why they haven't made any exclusive JRPGs for 360 in years compared to PS3.

[abzdine]

@ShinMaster:
what i mean is PS4 memory turned the impossible possible i understand it more like: next gen memory turned the impossible possible for FFXV. And the fact PS4 is more powerful than X1 and FFXV is multiplatform means FFXV isn't as optimized for PS4 as if it was exclusive.

[P0werVR]

^

"And the fact PS4 is more powerful than X1 and FFXV is multiplatform means FFXV isn't as optimized for PS4 as if it was exclusive."

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!

Geez, you guys are ridiculous.

"The more your data can be resident in the memory, the more you reduce the frequency of reading from the disk in the game and making large worlds becomes possible."

Nomura is not even talking about, extra power. His simply stating efficient use of memory bandwidth. And if anything, Xbox One is highly optimized for that very purpose.

I'm not going to state more than that, it's just tiring at the end of it when your dealing with a bunch of half wits.

EDIT:

It is fact that PS4 is using an x86 architecture for game development off the 64bit chip, and why they had to convince developers otherwise.

It is fact that it was originally 4gigs until last year when it was upgraded.

So if anything that is what Nomura is talking about.

Xbox One design has been set and NEVER made any changes. Is with the progression in todays tech industry with it's full implementation of x64 design.

[Volkama]

Sorry PowerVR, but you are confusing some terms there. Probably because of some misleading labelling you've come across in Windows.

x86 is the architecture, supporting 32 or 64 bit processors. The PS4 and One are both x86-64.

The article also doesn't really speak of an advantage of one console over the other. Guy just likes the quantity of RAM available.

[dedicatedtogamers]

@ abzdine

"why is he talking PS4 memory when the game is multiplatform?"

Pretty much confirms PS4 will be the best version, despite its multiplat status (which seems to be the story for nearly every multiplat next-gen game we've seen so far).

He probably started converting it from PS3 to PS4 and Square-Enix realized a port to Xbox One wouldn't be too hard.

[P0werVR]

@Volkama

I know that, I run my 64 bit software off my SSD and and the rest like games with no 64 bit support off my 1TB HDD.

There was a moment when there was an outcry to Sony in why they were using only 4 gigs, but eventually they upgraded it. That is what Nomura was referring to.

Also, the fact that it was confirmed by Cerny himself that PS4 game development is design off the x86 architecture...ONLY! That is what trumped me and just found out recently.

Both run off the same chip, but the Xbox One is fully designed with x64 in mind.

So probably they might be using some type of Physical Address Extension, but still remains the question on security. We all know the issue that happen to PS3 had more to do with arrogance than anything.

But, IF implications arises down the road. I wont be surprised.

[mkis007]

@powerVR

X86 includes support for 64 bit and both consoles have been confirmed this. 8GB of ram ca nnot be used on 32 bit if you are trying to say that. x86-64 is in both consoles and that is the only way they can each use 8gb of ram. There is no such thing as Only x86...its either X86-32 or 64...I dont know where you are pulling that "info" from.

[Lexanth]

Definitely gonna get the PS4 because of this game.

[black0o]

i know ppl who got the ps3 for this one lol

[Abriael]

Representing! lol.

To be fair, I got it for this and quite a few others :D

[Irishguy95]

I'll represent us too, we are stupid and this was back when SE hadn't ****ed up yet

:/

Luckily Ps3 had many others that interested me

[_QQ_]

I got a PS3 for this,Kingdom Hearts 3 and last Guardian.....

[BABY-JEDI]

I got the PS3 for the excellent selection of game types & I haven't been disappointed.

[Magicite]

KH3 + FF15 = my main reasons to own PS4

[_QQ_]

those were my main reasons to own a ps3 also lol.

[levian]

Even more psyched after reading this. Not there's nothing left but to give us a release date!

[ZHZ90]

Sounds promising to me, awesome.

[xbone180]

But its releasing on both PS4 and the Xbone -_-

[Abriael]

The interview talks about the PS4, unsurprisingly since it's done by Sony.

[noctis_lumia]

who cares

ff15 will sale triple on sony console

1 because ps4 dominates pre orders
2 more country's available
3 FF= SONY-NINTENDO brand

[mohuzas]

i seriously think that Square Enix should've put FFXV and KHIII on the WiiU rather than the Xbox One, Square Enix are basically waisting money on the Xbox One versions, JRPGs don't sell well on MS platforms, much less a cartoony one like Kingdom Hearts.

[Myze]

@mohuzas

I agree that the game won't sell much on the Xbone (especially KH3), but it's not really a waste of money, since with the way their engine works, the ps4 and xbone versions are both ported from the PC with little effort.

You mention the WiiU. If you say that, you must mean that they should have abandoned the ps4 as well, because it would cost a lot more money to port the game to the WiiU than the Xbone, and it would look incredibly poor in comparison. The only way they would release it for the WiiU is if they made it exclusive, which is something I, for one, don't wanna see, unless that exclusive is for the ps4.

Honestly, I expect another FFXIII with the ps4 and xbone versions, in terms of graphics (as a game, I expect it to be much better). The ps4 version will look great, but the xbone version will be inferior in many ways (especially resolution and frame-rate).

[mohuzas]

@Myze, have you seen Monolith Soft's X on the WiiU? it looks just as good as FFXV. anyways, i don't think it would cost a lot to port the games to WiiU, devs like ubisoft and others said porting to the thing is extremely easy/cheap, so i don't think they'd have a problem there.

[colonel179]

He shouldn't be allowed to be on a PS conversation with creators after backstabbing every PS fan about the game being a PS exclusive. But that's not entirely his fault though, however, he did say in several interviews that he wouldn't know if the game would be out on Xbox, but that he was making the game entirely on PS3, so that if SE decided to port the game to Xbox it would be that, a port. We all know it is not the case, since the game is coming to the Xbox One at the same time, so they are developing both at the same time, and that means that they are going for the lowest tech of the two (again), which it can only mean we will never see a game from SE taking advantage of a PS console, and SE keeps treating PS fans like POS.

BTW, I don't care that the game is coming to the Xbox. It's the attitude towards PS fans from SE that bothers me. They have been lying and deceiving PS fans for 8 years now.

[Abriael]

yeah because HE decided that, right?

He woke up one morning and said to himself "where's that dagger? I wanna go out and backstab every PS fan, because i feel like trolling today".

Take your time while you buy a bit or realism, ok?

PS: The game is not being developed on either PS4 or Xbox One. It's being developed on PC, like 99% of next generation games.

Wanna know why Sony "allows" him on the conversation with creators series? Because it's good publicity for them.

[colonel179]

I know HE didn't decide that, but Square Enix keeps screwing with PS fans. Why did they confirm time and time again that FFv13 was going to be exclusive when is not (the same happened with FF13). Now that they have changed the name is excuse enough to fin a loophole and say it's a different game?.

For me, Nomura and the Kingdom Hearts (original) team is the only good thing Square Enix has now. If they hadn't bought EIdos, they would probably be irrelevant by now. Sony (or any other company) should give those guys a job and leave SE to die.

I also know it's good publicity for Sony, but they should be more strict when it comes to signing deals with publishers and developers. After all, Microsoft has a clause that say that no game should be better on other platform, and they do require developers to abide to certain norms. Sony should do the same.

[miyamoto]

colonel 179 has all the right to say those words, abriel

ScrewEnix has really screwed it up big time when they sold their soul to M$, yeah, sold soul and they cant escape the tragic consequences of their betrayal and lies.

FF XIII and now FF XV. I thought the Japanese believe in word of honor but now they are totally corrupted by M$ continually spiralling down to their doom into the abyss just like Crapcom.

The new CEO of ScrewEnix made a promise to repent and not to be bribed with $100 million to bring FF games to M$ but it seems he is just Wada's puppet.

Poor Nomura is powerless against this crap

PS: Correction. I would prefer you say many games are being developed on X86, Linux and Open GL instead of PC
because PC is widely known to be connected to M$, Windows and Direct X which is not entirely true for many games.

M$ monopoly is over.

[N4GDgAPc]

@miyamoto

"PS: Correction. I would prefer you say many games are being developed on X86, Linux and Open GL instead of PC
because PC is widely known to be connected to M$, Windows and Direct X which is not entirely true for many games.

M$ monopoly is over. "

You know that M$ doesn't get any royalties for pc games right? Thats why there cheaper to buy than ps and xbox games. So M$ don't have any monopoly over pc games.

[N4GDgAPc]

@colonel179

And you forget they never lied because this isn't FFv13. Its ff15 for new hardware. So what would you have more stay on ps3 and be exclusive or be on next gen and be ported on 360?

This next gen I don't think your going to get any 3rd party exclusives (unless paid by sony or microsoft) because it will be a lot eaiser to port over.

[Sm00thNinja]

You do know that SquareEnix is a business right? They really don't care about you're feelings. In a sense I see what you mean, KH3, FF. Those titles jumped ship possibly even sacrificing quality. It is what it is though, a business.

[Mike134nl]

Good for them, the additional sales might allow them to use a somewhat bigger budget for the game while gaining some additional profit.

[Bundi]

Wow there is much bitternessin this one! Your entire rant is pretty much you being angry that it's coming to Xbox, not that you had to wait 8 years for it.

I mean hands up anybody that believes we'd be reading this rant if the game was coming to just ps4...

Also when games like Knack are exclusive to Ps4 with no big bad Xbox to gimp it but still look like they do, the whole lowest denominator afguement goes flying out the window.

[KonsoruMasuta]

Knack wasn't meant to be a graphical masterpiece.

That's like me basing the Xbox's abilities off of Kinect sports.

[Hicken]

There you go, bringing up Knack again like it's relevant.

I swear, you're one of the worst trolls on the site. And it's only made more annoying with the fact that you don't seem to realize how much of a troll you are.

[N4GDgAPc]

@colonel179

If it was still on the PS3 I bet it would of been a exclusive. Moving to next gen its a lot easier to port from ps4 to xbone compared to ps3 to 360.

"Xbox, but that he was making the game entirely on PS3, so that if SE decided to port the game to Xbox it would be that, a port."

SE is the type that like to push graphics. Going from FF13 where ps3 was definetly a better port than 360 I expect ps4 will be better than xbone.

[KonsoruMasuta]

I don't care if the game is on a Microsoft platform. It just means more people are able to enjoy this masterpiece.

I never understood why you people think just because a game is multi plat you can't enjoy it.

I'm going to but it on PS4 no matter what. And I'm going to enjoy it no matter what.

[u-bEttA-rUn]

This is so beautiful!!!!!

[byeGollum]

isnt it multiplat now? lol

[araman]

... why is that funny?

[POR_QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]

A lot of good information. Too bad I couldn't understand a thing!

[BG11579]

The game looks fantastic, yet I mistrust the late SE productions. I still remember the hype behind FFXIII and the deception it was for me.

[wishingW3L]

I bought FFXIII day one and I was so excited! Played it for like 5 hours but after the first hour I was so disappointed that I just rushed through for the trophies if not I would have traded-in without even finishing it. That game was a torture to play for me. Then I played the demo of FF13-2 and to me that game was even worse! ;(

[goldwyncq]

Nomura: We live to make the impossible possible! That is our focus!

[WitWolfy]

Still looks like crap.

[BABY-JEDI]

Should have went to specsavers LoL

[WitWolfy]

Thats my opinion dude. Like it or not, it feels like all this waiting is gonna piss off a lot of fans in the end...

[BABY-JEDI]

I do agree that square-enix have pissed all of us off. But this game does have some excellent set piece design.

[JackVagina]

I hope they still have some cgi scenes...

[Taislin]

Don´t worry, those will be in the game. But I think instead of being the more action oriented ones like in previous games, they´ll use it to further augment facial expressions and better convey the emotions of the characters

[ado908]

Ehh it's multiplat so idk what they are going on about...

[mitchell1188]

Ok we have two possibilities here.
1. SE will make another FF like 7 in the future.
2. They won't.

I've beaten 1-13 minus online games and this is something fresh and new. Honestly we got 10 games of FF that had practically the same game mechanics and yet all people want is 10 more of the same old thing. I'm 100% for a FF7 remake and I'll admit SE kinda needs it but I STILL want FFXV and it should NOT represent the remake of the past games I want. I asked for something new and they're bringing it...Prolly in 2018 but it'll be in my ps4 one day.

[Djinn]

FFXIII was amazing. I expect no less from FFXV.

[noctis_lumia]

ff13 was a piece of garbage enough said

ff15 has hope tho since its nomura behind it

[LordNikon]

FF XIII was decent for me. XIII-2 was garbage though, imo. And XIII-2 was way too easy.

[denero1]

I can't wait till this game comes out so my son that I havnt had with the wife I haven't met can play this game

[Ashlen]

This is my most anticipated game. Really looking forward to it.

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

good sounds like he's trying to make it the best it can possibly be.

[XboxFun]

I didn't really care for this game when I first saw it. But the more I see it and the more I see the over the top action the more i'm getting excited about it.

The part where one of the characters is sword fighting with that huge demon beast was spectacular. That is just the type of action I love to see.

Very glad that this excellent entry in the FF series is coming to the Xbox One.

It does suck though that it completely bypassed the PS3. I know a few folks that bought a ps3 just to play this and 13.

After reading this article, it seems it wasn't his fault for not bringing Vs. to PS3, but actually the limitations of the PS3 would compromise his vision of the game.

It's good then that he waited it out until the next system to make sure his game didn't fall short on what he really wanted to do.

Anyways, looking forward to playing this on the Xbox One.

[Irishguy95]

Hmm, Ps3 was good enough, SE aren't good enough. Sad but true. Nomura said they had trouble with FPS, when the car was accelerating in the open world. Why the hell do SE have trouble when Rockstar pulled that off multiple times this gen? It's just ridiculous to me. Leviathan in the backround ****ing **** up? God of war scenery? It is SE's Fault come on. They need to hire new coders.

[Mr_Luke]

Can't wait to play it on my PS4!! >_< i hope they release a demo too

[EXVirtual]

This is awesome. My most anticipated Next gen game so far!

[wishingW3L]

what's the point of having numeric life in an action game? The action will be so fast that it'll be pointless to know that the first slash in a combo of 10 did 100 of damage to the HP of an enemy. This will only make the screen convoluted for no reason at all, I hope there an option to turn it off.

One thing that scares me is that he says that the story will be simple and it'll mostly consist of character interaction. I wouldn't be so concerned about this if there were more females but as of now they have only shown 2 and to be honest, bromance is fine but too much of it is not.

[Irishguy95]

I agree about the numbers...whats the point? A life bar would suffice.

About the story, I believe he means the overall plot is simple, as in...mainly, Noctis and co are trying to retake the crystal. However...Look at Game of thrones...you could easily say, the story is about families fighting over a throne. Look how complex that story is. I believe that is what Nomura is aiming for with XV, a straightforward plot, however **** will go down between the characters of each faction. Kingdoms fighting over power, with all the betrayals, darkness of war etc that comes with it.

I think the plot will be simple for most of it, it will be realistic in the way that the fantasy side of it is not the main factor and human motivation is. However, I do think towards the end **** will go down with regards to the Death God and the powers Noctis and other l'cie get. For the moment, the focus is on Nifilheim attacking everyone for power. Stella mentioned her interest of the 'light in the sky' which is confirmed to be exclusive to l'cie like Noctis and Stella. Imo bigger problems will occur later in the game than Nifelheim and their BS power seeking. In the end the last boss will end up being a Fal'cie I believe. And something more sinister than the war for power...Again a bit like Game of thrones.

This is also like FF7 actually, in that at first Eco terrorism and a corporation eventually turns into a God like evil **** trying to destroy the world via ancient magic

[Welcome2Die]

This is a Playstation 4 must-buy!

[Ch1d0r1]

Sasuke!

[Irishguy95]

Nomura copied Kishi for Nocts design
Kishi then copied Nomura for Sasuke's redesign.

They are now identicle except Sasuke has a grey top instead of black

[Ch1d0r1]

Thanks for the info. Im sure you know im only talking about the voice.

[kakashi81]

I thought I heard him say something about Naruto or Capcom?? lol but Im pre-ordering this and XIII-3.

[thelaughingwiseman]

The reason I got a PS3 was for Last Guardian, Final Fantasy vs 13, and Kingdom Hearts 3... And only one of them has come when this generations life cycle is already coming to an end. Wait scratched that, when is this game announced for?

[90Supra]

Gameplay looks laggy as fk...

[lifeordeath617]

Game looks okay, nothing i would buy day one. Nothing in next gen really excites me for some reason.