Square Enix: Japanese tech is just as powerful

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 16th April 2008
Comments (14) Stumble
Square Enix: Japanese tech is just as powerful

With graphics like that, it's odd anyone would say that Square Enix has fallen behind.

Think that Japanese developers aren't using all the technology at their disposal and are in danger of falling behind Western developers? Think again - Square Enix is quick to point out that they can make graphics just as pretty as Western developers.

Speaking about his new engine to Gamasutra, the General Manager of the new Crystal Tools engine - the one which powers Final Fantasy XIII - Taku Murata wanted to make it clear that he is just as good as his Western counterparts.

"Until the PS3 was launched, regarding the 360 and PS3...I agree that maybe Japanese game technology was behind because there was no previous experience, or a base in that PC market in Japan back then," said Taku Murata. "Since then, things have changed."

"I do think that in terms of the language barrier, yes, it still is a challenge. We do face those challenges in terms of communication, but in terms of technology, I don't think we're behind. We probably have conquered that problem...or probably we have gone across that point and advanced."

There you go then - Japanese developers can code with the best of them, so long as nothing gets lost in translation. Do you think translation problems are a big problem for Japanese games, or is this whole thing kind of a non-issue? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Quote Mentai 16th April 2008, 10:35
If final fantasy 13 looks as good as I think it will I completely agree with him.
Quote badders 16th April 2008, 10:39
All your base are just as good as us?
Quote mmorgue 16th April 2008, 11:29
Yes, if it looks as good as the image accompanying the article then sure, I'd agree. But time will tell. The FF series was renowned for the amazing CGI and cut scenes but 'average' in-game/gameplay graphics.
Quote Arkanrais 16th April 2008, 12:25
hmm, I thought their current engine was simply called 'white" for their ps3 games.
aside form that, FF VS 13 looks pretty damn good and I'm eager to get my mitts on it (though I don't have a ps3): http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/16735
Quote docodine 16th April 2008, 12:53
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmorgue
Yes, if it looks as good as the image accompanying the article then sure, I'd agree. But time will tell. The FF series was renowned for the amazing CGI and cut scenes but 'average' in-game/gameplay graphics.

Wha-?

Final Fantasy generally set the bar for 'the game with the best graphics' whenever it was released, no? This was true for VIII-X anyway (IMO).

I wouldn't call it average...
Quote [USRF]Obiwan 16th April 2008, 12:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arkanrais
hmm, I thought their current engine was simply called 'white" for their ps3 games.
aside form that, FF VS 13 looks pretty damn good and I'm eager to get my mitts on it (though I don't have a ps3): http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/16735


Nice pre rendered cgi intro's don't make a game good. All those Japanese games have beautiful scenery but the game and game play is most of the time like playing a game of chess.
Quote Jordan Wise 16th April 2008, 13:30
Quote:
Originally Posted by docodine
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmorgue
Yes, if it looks as good as the image accompanying the article then sure, I'd agree. But time will tell. The FF series was renowned for the amazing CGI and cut scenes but 'average' in-game/gameplay graphics.

Wha-?

Final Fantasy generally set the bar for 'the game with the best graphics' whenever it was released, no? This was true for VIII-X anyway (IMO).

I wouldn't call it average...

and even 7 at its launch, mind you it was only competeing against tomb raider at that point i think
Quote knowyourenemy 16th April 2008, 13:46
Quote:
Originally Posted by [USRF
Obiwan]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arkanrais
hmm, I thought their current engine was simply called 'white" for their ps3 games.
aside form that, FF VS 13 looks pretty damn good and I'm eager to get my mitts on it (though I don't have a ps3): http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/16735


Nice pre rendered cgi intro's don't make a game good. All those Japanese games have beautiful scenery but the game and game play is most of the time like playing a game of chess.

What's wrong with chess?
Quote Faulk_Wulf 16th April 2008, 15:36
Its an RPG not a FSP/3rdPS.

And since when does chess involve swords bigger then you head, majestic enviroments, and powerful moving stories?

(Though, you're right, a CGI-intro doesn't make a game. But 7-10/10-2 and Crisis Core have never let me down. And I'm sure someone will agree with that about 1-6.)
Quote Firehed 16th April 2008, 16:09
Quote:
Originally Posted by [USRF
Obiwan]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arkanrais
hmm, I thought their current engine was simply called 'white" for their ps3 games.
aside form that, FF VS 13 looks pretty damn good and I'm eager to get my mitts on it (though I don't have a ps3): http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/16735


Nice pre rendered cgi intro's don't make a game good. All those Japanese games have beautiful scenery but the game and game play is most of the time like playing a game of chess.

The best graphics awards tended to be from the CGI, not the standard gameplay. My copy of FFVII continues to state "the best graphics ever" or something to that general extent on the back, but even comparing other 1997-era games tends to show a pretty big difference in detail between in-game and prerendered content.
Quote automagsrock 16th April 2008, 16:18
Yeah they can code with the best of them but would it kill them to take a break from FF and maybe give us DQ fans a game or two. I mean hell, even an announcement of weather-or-not we're getting any of the new DS remakes of 4, 5, and 6 would be fine :(

I will say though, FF13 does look very pretty.
Quote docodine 16th April 2008, 22:45
I'm actually waiting for another Parasite Eve game....

According to Wikipedia, there is another one coming out, but it's for cell phones. BARF

And does anyone else have the game Ehrgeiz? It's a FIGHTING GAME made by SQUARESOFT for the Playstation. It was not only a fighting game, as it included a hack 'n slash dungeon crawler as well. Why isn't square doing more stuff like this?....
Quote Arkanrais 19th April 2008, 15:56
Quote:

Nice pre rendered cgi intro's don't make a game good. All those Japanese games have beautiful scenery but the game and game play is most of the time like playing a game of chess.

iirc thats not pre-rendered. development of fabula nova crystallis (the 3 ff13 games) started after the ff VII tech demo for ps3 was made. 13 and VS 13 were initially being made for the ps2 but shifted to the ps3 because of technical limits on ps2 (and the size of dvd's wasn't enough). I can't find any info about the trailer posted anymore but I'm pretty sure its real time, given that square-enix would have made a much better (graphically) trailer if it was pre-rendered. from what I recall, the graphics engine used for VS 13 uses 4 of the ps3 cell processors SPE's (or whatever the cores are named in the cell broadband cpu) to produce 'near pre-rendered visual quality".
Quote Dr-Rogg 21st April 2008, 09:09
Quote:
I do think that in terms of the language barrier, yes, it still is a challenge.

They have pretty stringent requirements for translators at Square-Enix. I applied for a supposedly part-time gig there, passed everything and finally got turned down simply because I already have a full-time job and they have a lot of lines of script to do :'(
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