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Thread: New game in development

  1. #1
    « Intermittent Presence » .A²'s Avatar
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    New game in development


    A few bits have surfaced on Square Enix's new Unreal Engine project that sees its debut in this week's Famitsu.

    The project is revealed in an interview with Ryutaro Ichimura, who says that two years following the development of Dragon Quest IX, which he produced, he's "graduated" from the Dragon Quest team and is now working on a number of new titles. This original action RPG is one of those projects.

    The game's platform has not been finalized, although the general idea is for it to be released on consoles. Depending on the timing, they may also look into a release on next generation platforms.

    Famitsu shows just a few concept art pieces for the game. These include buildings that appear to be out of middle ages Europe, and middle ages European style characters.

    Just from the looks, the game may appear to be "Westernish," but Ichimura says that it doesn't necessarily target overseas players. Rather, it's meant to represent a challenge where Japanese developers create an interesting game that is meant for worldwide release.

    The development staff is working closely with overseas staff, though, as one concern is that the end result of a Japanese developer making a game set in an overseas environment might seem fake.

    They're taking the approach of not forcing what they want to make into the game, but seeing what users want and going from there. For the past couple of years, they've been touring the world, conducting surveys of users, and redoing the specifications through test play. They're at the point where theY've finalized the basic research and technological aspects.

    The game's core staff consists of around 35 people. Each area of development has just a few people. While the core staff has experience in RPGs, they need support from people with experience in action game development and network technology.

    They'll be seeking out staff via a recruitment site which will open later this week.
    The new game is being developed internally at Square Enix under the eye of Ryutaro Ichimura. Ichimura's exact role on the game is unclear, but he's usually a producer.

    While the game goes unnamed in the magazine, it will not be a Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy game.

    In comments shared with Famitsu, Ichimura reveals that he and the game's staff traveled the world for the past two years and conducted user surveys to research art and gameplay direction for the game. They've finalized the basics.

    Famitsu shows image art for what appears to be a main character, heroine, rival and boss. No solid details are provided, so these are just guesses.

    It looks like Famitsu's reveal article is meant to be part of a staff solicitation to join the current core team of 35. Square Enix is looking for planners, programmers (network, 3D graphics, physics, animation) and designers (art, motion, VFX, background modeling and character modeling).

    We'll likely get official announcement of the project and the job solicitation later this week.
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  2. #2
    « Intermittent Presence » .A²'s Avatar
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    More:

    The art comes from a recruitment page that Square Enix opened up today.

    The recruitment page is seeking the following positions:
    • Planner (Action) -- work on creating the specifications and data for the game's action, focusing on combat action
    • Planner (Writing) -- work on writing the text for the game and scenario
    • Planner (Level) -- work on level and field design via UnrealEngine 3, and positioning enemies, items and so-forth
    • Game Programmer -- work on areas like camera control and AI
    • Network Programmer -- work on such areas as matching and network synchronization during gameplay
    • 3D Graphics Programmer -- work on real time 3D graphics realization and optimization
    • Physics Programmer -- work on in-game physics simulation and optimization
    • Animation Programmer -- work on 3D model animation
    • Art Designer -- background art (image and gadgets) and character and enemy art and design
    • Motion Designer -- work on game character motion
    • VFX Designer -- work on effects for action scenes, cut-scenes and so-forth
    • BG Modeler -- work on production of 3D backgrounds, also work on level design through Unreal Engine 3 editor
    • Character Modeler -- work on modeling for characters and enemies, taking artwork and going through process of high mesh, modeling, bone, texture and material
    And probably, but not necessarily, related:

    PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita are the targets for a new action RPG from Square Enix's elite 1st Production Department, the group that makes Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts.

    A couple of job listings mention three points about the game:
    • Hardware is Vita and PS3
    • Genre is Action RPG
    • Development Engine is Unity
    • One listing is for a planner to do work related to player character growth and customization, including job properties, ability properties, a growth system, and a customization system.

    Another listing, asks for planners to work on gameplay over a 3D field. The job consists of creating play elements for flying an airship over a world map, and planning gameplay for within an air ship, including things like inn functionality, customization elements and checking up on game progress.

    Given that this game uses the Unity Engine, it's presumably unrelated to the Square Enix action RPG that was announced last week for the Unreal Engine.

    The job listings do not list the company that is hiring for the project. Rather than Square Enix, it may be an external contractor. However, the listings do specifically refer to the game as a new project from Square Enix's 1st Production Department.
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  3. #3
    THE ADBOT SLAYER! 01habbo's Avatar
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    As soon as I read "These include buildings that appear to be out of middle ages Europe and middle ages European style characters." this immediatetly perked my interest. Wonder if this will include old folklore aswell. Dragons, werewolves ect...

    Square Enix does Fable :O

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  4. #4
    Khiraxi KoFF's Avatar
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    By the looks and sound of it, this could be something really awesome. The screen makes me think Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and that is an approach I wouldn't mind seeing SE taking. The time era is one of my favorites in real life, so it's hard to go wrong there. The character in the screen looks to have some manga inspiration though so it might not be a complete Gabriel type.

    About the second post, I agree the descriptions sound very similar, but something might play against it. Ichimura has mainly been working on Dragon Quest in the 9th Production Department. Since he talks about the new game being such a departure from his previous game(s), there's always the chance that he is heading this project for the 1st Production Department? He's not the head of the 9th PD, so he might have gotten the green light? It semi-defeats the purpose of having divisions like that, but I'm just trying to justify why there could still be a chance it's the same project that is talked about in all quotations, lol.

    Either way, I am looking very much forward. SE did talk about planning multiple big games to be produced or released in 2012.



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  5. #5
    Dark Knight Odin's Avatar
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    Need to watch trailer, not too fond of that first image at least.

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