Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
- Details
- Published on June 17, 2015 @ 08:33 pm
- Written by Katie
The Kingdom Hearts 3 news keeps rolling in as E3 continues! Engadget was able to grab an interview with Nomura Tetsuya and inquired about several of the technical aspects of the game that weren't delved into during the Square Enix Presents segment!
--The game's been teased for two years, so what's happening now with Kingdom Hearts 3?
Nomura: Compared to the initial first look at the game, in the trailer we're showing now, the visual aspects have evolved a lot. Not only the particle effects within the battles, but also the sheer scale of it. While the world may not be comparable to massively open-world titles, it's far bigger than previous Kingdom Hearts titles. There's a huge decrease in load times too. In previous games, you'd run to the end of an area and it would go dark before transitioning to the next stage -- now it's become seamless, as you can see in the trailer when Sora jumps off the mountain you've just battled up. The environments themselves, in KH3, things will be affected by real-time actions, a tornado spell will swirl the blades of grass surrounding it.
--Given that the game is coming to PS4 and Xbox One, how are you tackling online?
Nomura: Online is certainly part of my wish list -- we want gamers to play for a while and an online component helps this. While we may be focusing on the main campaign at the moment, but it's not as if we're going to tack on an online function at the end. In fact, we've already got plenty of ideas brewing at the moment. However, we're still not at the point where we can test these ideas inside the main game.
--Why didn't we see many Disney characters in the new game?
Nomura: Well, Donald and Goofy were there -- and we've announced that we're collaborating with Tangled, something we touched upon in our E3 presentation. Compared to previous titles that we folded into Kingdom Hearts, we have a lot of creators still alive. The process of gaining approvals then is pretty different. Because the animation studios are actively involved, we want to polish up anything we meet to the standards we demand, before taking it to Disney to approval. The hair of [Tangled's] Rapunzel is so unique -- we want to make sure we can realize the vision before we show it.
--So how about Frozen?
Nomura: We're not saying anything on titles not yet announced.
--Can we expect far more worlds in Kingdom Hearts 3?
Nomura: With every Kingdom Hearts title, we plan to deliver more worlds than actually appear in game -- so we have something in our pockets to work with. Then as we begin to hone these worlds and stages, and some do get cut. [At this point], we have prepared more worlds, in that respect, than Kingdom Hearts 2.
--Any worlds that weren't realized in KH2?
Nomura: Man, KH2 was quite a while ago. ... Typically, worlds that we weren't able to put into a game are usually picked up again for work in the sequel. We prepare each stage, planning to include it in a game -- and we love the worlds we come up with.
--Is anything going to change with how you play the game?
Nomura: Nothing's set in stone, although naturally, the PS4's controller has that touchpanel, and that's something we're going to have to consider within the control scheme. Coming from Kingdom Hearts 2, there won't be a huge difference in battle controls -- we're not going to change how you jump or anything -- it'll be more of an evolution. Depending on how we utilize the touchpanel, we may not need other forms of control [for certain actions].
Having said that, control preferences are different from person to person. Especially with cameras. We took an internal survey at Square Enix about this: and the result was an almost precise split, 50:50. We're going to have to look into this pretty carefully.
COMMENTS
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
No, but I'm sure there are more Nomura interviews to come so keep your fingers crossed! C:
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
love the more worlds then kingdom hearts 2 part plus they working closely with the disney movie creators to make it world close to the movie this could the best and ponitenally longest kingdom hearts game ever
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
It's good that transitioning between areas is seamless now. This also means for the first time since KHI, we'll be seeing Sora opening doors.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Please don't let any touchpad ideas be something annoying. (yes that's the only part I care about in that interview)
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Ah nice was hoping for seamless worlds and it's to see them working closely with Disney,can't wait to see how the final build looks.
To much negativity on the graphics right now.
Kh2 had 16 playable worlds to,it's hard to imagine they'll be more than that.It seems possible every world people want has a chance of making it.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
You would kill my ability to Quote you with all that HTML (Q)_(Q)
--Given that the game is coming to PS4 and Xbox One, how are you tackling online?
Nomura: Online is certainly part of my wish list -- we want gamers to play for a while and an online component helps this. While we may be focusing on the main campaign at the moment, but it's not as if we're going to tack on an online function at the end. In fact, we've already got plenty of ideas brewing at the moment. However, we're still not at the point where we can test these ideas inside the main game.
Yes they are planning on using online features. My dream of Versus mode and the return of the Mirage Arena could be possible.
--Why didn't we see many Disney characters in the new game?
Nomura: Well, Donald and Goofy were there -- and we've announced that we're collaborating with Tangled, something we touched upon in our E3 presentation. Compared to previous titles that we folded into Kingdom Hearts, we have a lot of creators still alive. The process of gaining approvals then is pretty different. Because the animation studios are actively involved, we want to polish up anything we meet to the standards we demand, before taking it to Disney to approval. The hair of [Tangled's] Rapunzel is so unique -- we want to make sure we can realize the vision before we show it.
I think that confirms that we'll be getting a lot more recent titles.
--Is anything going to change with how you play the game?
Nomura: Nothing's set in stone, although naturally, the PS4's controller has that touchpanel, and that's something we're going to have to consider within the control scheme. Coming from Kingdom Hearts 2, there won't be a huge difference in battle controls -- we're not going to change how you jump or anything -- it'll be more of an evolution. Depending on how we utilize the touchpanel, we may not need other forms of control [for certain actions].
Having said that, control preferences are different from person to person. Especially with cameras. We took an internal survey at Square Enix about this: and the result was an almost precise split, 50:50. We're going to have to look into this pretty carefully
This is good news. I was really hoping they used the touch panel and was afraid they wouldn't since it's going to be on Xbox One as well. Sounds like it will be better controls on PlayStation (in addition to better graphics framerates and such that come from PS4).
--Can we expect far more worlds in Kingdom Hearts 3?
Nomura: With every Kingdom Hearts title, we plan to deliver more worlds than actually appear in game -- so we have something in our pockets to work with. Then as we begin to hone these worlds and stages, and some do get cut. [At this point], we have prepared more worlds, in that respect, than Kingdom Hearts 2.
Hopefully it finishes with more worlds. I really want this game to have more quality length than KH2.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Every Nomura interview he's done after E3 is better than last night's Square Presents interview :P
Love all the bits of info he drops :D
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I think Frozen is pretty much a guarantee in Kingdom Hearts III also that whole worlds cut makes me think we will be seeing The Jungle Book as well which was supposed to be in KH BBS.
Love that he said there will be more worlds than in KH II, I wouldn't bat an eye at 20 + worlds. Especially with how many properties Disney has now, it's easily manageable.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
| Nomura: Well, Donald and Goofy were there -- and we've announced that we're collaborating with Tangled, something we touched upon in our E3 presentation. Compared to previous titles that we folded into Kingdom Hearts, we have a lot of creators still alive. The process of gaining approvals then is pretty different. Because the animation studios are actively involved, we want to polish up anything we meet to the standards we demand, before taking it to Disney to approval. |
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I can really only see the touchpad being used as an additional/alternative feature since the Xbox One does not have one. Nonetheless, there are many creative ways to use it. I am certainly very excited about seamless areas and the environments of the worlds themselves.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
they can use the touch pad as the map feature
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
This made me think Frozen, since they Disney was pretty stringent on the way it was used on Once Upon a Time, even having John Lasseter get involved with the show (which was really odd). I imagine they might have a similar case happening here.
So maybe this is one of the reasons why KH3 is taking a long time to be made.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I think Frozen is pretty much a guarantee in Kingdom Hearts III also that whole worlds cut makes me think we will be seeing The Jungle Book as well which was supposed to be in KH BBS.
Love that he said there will be more worlds than in KH II, I wouldn't bat an eye at 20 + worlds. Especially with how many properties Disney has now, it's easily manageable.
My longshot hope & dream is Sora, Riku, & Kairi all get scenarios with only the key original worlds overlapping between them. That game would be gigantic.
| So maybe this is one of the reasons why KH3 is taking a long time to be made. |
Not nessasarily, they could focus on original worlds while waiting for the needed approvals.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
My longshot hope & dream is Sora, Riku, & Kairi all get scenarios with only the key original worlds overlapping between them. That game would be gigantic.
Not nessasarily, they could focus on original worlds while waiting for the needed approvals.
Why would you do this to me. I dig this idea so much that I'll be heartbroken is SE does otherwise ;-;
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Why would you do this to me. I dig this idea so much that I'll be heartbroken is SE does otherwise ;-;
Dreams are made to be Dropped (& at quite a Distance at that)
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
In previous games, you'd run to the end of an area and it would go dark before transitioning to the next stage -- now it's become seamless, as you can see in the trailer when Sora jumps off the mountain you've just battled up. |
Aw hell, I just know I'll spend like half an hour getting up that mountain then accidentally falling off. And if this is before Flowmotion then I will just die.
Another note, since it's all seamless, going from the Coliseum to Mount Olympus, I wonder what they'll do for checkpoints in case Sora dies. Will auto/manual save be in, or will we just have to suffer?
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Aw hell, I just know I'll spend like half an hour getting up that mountain then accidentally falling off. And if this is before Flowmotion then I will just die.
Another note, since it's all seamless, going from the Coliseum to Mount Olympus, I wonder what they'll do for checkpoints in case Sora dies. Will auto/manual save be in, or will we just have to suffer?
*Whisper* Suffer...
No I bet at least enough save points.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Please don't let any touchpad ideas be something annoying. (yes that's the only part I care about in that interview)
The touchpad might actually be very useful for KH3. I imagine each swiping direction: up, down, left, right, or a tap can be set as a shortcut for magic/attractions/summons/drives/etc. It would make things much more convenient especially how the touchpad is placed in a good spot for your thumb.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
The touchpad might actually be very useful for KH3. I imagine each swiping direction: up, down, left, right, or a tap can be set as a shortcut for magic/attractions/summons/drives/etc. It would make things much more convenient especially how the touchpad is placed in a good spot for your thumb.
That would be a great way to include it with out it being mandatory to play (for those unlucky duck Xbox One users)
Aw hell, I just know I'll spend like half an hour getting up that mountain then accidentally falling off. And if this is before Flowmotion then I will just die.
Another note, since it's all seamless, going from the Coliseum to Mount Olympus, I wonder what they'll do for checkpoints in case Sora dies. Will auto/manual save be in, or will we just have to suffer?
I'm guessing autosaves checkpoints so if you die you can click continue and be back there but save portals for when you actually plan on leaving the game.
My longshot hope & dream is Sora, Riku, & Kairi all get scenarios with only the key original worlds overlapping between them. That game would be gigantic.
That would be awesome and then they could have their own parties.
Sora Donald Goofy
Riku Mickey (maybe additional GoL)
Kairi Axel (maybe additional GoL)
Assuming SRMKA are GoL ofc which could be inaccurate but more or less some lineup like this.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
The Touchpad has been an amazing addition to games. I've not once found it annoying in anything. In tomb raider, sliding up make Lara light the torch, and down put it out and that worked so well.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Aw hell, I just know I'll spend like half an hour getting up that mountain then accidentally falling off. And if this is before Flowmotion then I will just die.
Another note, since it's all seamless, going from the Coliseum to Mount Olympus, I wonder what they'll do for checkpoints in case Sora dies. Will auto/manual save be in, or will we just have to suffer?
I will however purposely fall to my death in III just to see if there's an achievement for it~
Kingdom Hearts usually has plenty of save points so dieing hopefully won't be much of an issue (but checkpoints would be nice.)
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
There's never been fall damage in the series (or is there something I'm missing?) and I wouldn't wanna see that. Besides, Sora flew in previous installments, fall damage doesn't really fit in.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
There's never been fall damage in the series (or is there something I'm missing?) and I wouldn't wanna see that. Besides, Sora flew in previous installments, fall damage doesn't really fit in.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I actually hope there is fall damage. That'd be sweet. However, if there is no auto-saving in this game, I'm gonna be pissed.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
The touchpad might actually be very useful for KH3. I imagine each swiping direction: up, down, left, right, or a tap can be set as a shortcut for magic/attractions/summons/drives/etc. It would make things much more convenient especially how the touchpad is placed in a good spot for your thumb.
No thanks. I want buttons. There is no room for error with a button. When you press it it does the thing. Simple.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
No thanks. I want buttons. There is no room for error with a button. When you press it it does the thing. Simple.
What? Having room for error on a touchpad is good. That means if you accidentally swipe a little bit slanted, it won't register that as a different direction. Having no room for error means you would have to be very precise which wouldn't be a good idea. I don't see what you're worried about, on the touchpad you swipe up and it does the thing. Simple, too. If someone has problems swiping in 4 directions with a margin for error then they most likely misclick buttons anyway. Try picking up something, like you phone for example, and hold it like a controller. Then try swiping in 4 directions with your right thumb. It's practically like another set of face buttons.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
What? Having room for error on a touchpad is good. That means if you accidentally swipe a little bit slanted, it won't register that as a different direction. Having no room for error means you would have to be very precise which wouldn't be a good idea. I don't see what you're worried about, on the touchpad you swipe up and it does the thing. Simple, too. If someone has problems swiping in 4 directions with a margin for error then they most likely misclick buttons anyway. Try picking up something, like you phone for example, and hold it like a controller. Then try swiping in 4 directions with your right thumb. It's practically like another set of face buttons.
No being precise when trying to do basic attacks or spells with normal enemies is a pain in the rear. If it was some sequence with a boss or minigame precision has merit as it's part of that experience but other wise it merely makes something more annoying than it needs to be.
I haven't mislicked a button since I was in kindergarden yet cant work touchcontrols worth a damn so might wanna expand that view a bit friend.
I dont like touchcontrols and I dont want them forced one me to do something that a button could easily do.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I've had my fill of "death by accidental falling" from Xenoblade so I hope KHIII doesn't that (I'm fine with some falling damage, though.)
I will however purposely fall to my death in III just to see if there's an achievement for it~
Kingdom Hearts usually has plenty of save points so dieing hopefully won't be much of an issue (but checkpoints would be nice.)
I think every single one of us that will get the game will do that at least once. :P
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I dont really want auto-save. I prefer the scattered save points like in every other KH game. If you die, tough luck, you were not good enough, try again. There was always plenty of save points for each world. Most of you are probably better players than me (you beat it on Critical and all that jazz), but I still want a little bit of a challenge. Set save points and that should be enough. No one has complained about the previous installments in regard to saving the game, why change it now?
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Agreed mate! It gave the game more of rpg feel than I think auto save does. It makes situations seem more powerful.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I dont really want auto-save. I prefer the scattered save points like in every other KH game. If you die, tough luck, you were not good enough, try again. There was always plenty of save points for each world. Most of you are probably better players than me (you beat it on Critical and all that jazz), but I still want a little bit of a challenge. Set save points and that should be enough. No one has complained about the previous installments in regard to saving the game, why change it now?
Cause in previous games there were loading, which meant you continued at the start of the area. KH3 worlds are seemless so if you spend 40 minutes going from one side of the world to the other and die without any checkpoints like in previous games, you just lost those 40 minutes
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
But then if you accidentally encounter a boss you aren't ready for when you decide to continue just a little bit extra and then it autosaves...
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
You know what I'm going to miss with this seamless loading? I loved the names they gave the individual areas when you went to a new screen. Each one was different and a lot were creative. Like Betwixt and Between, Cavern of Remembrance, Avenue to Dreams, or Memory's Scyscraper. There were so many interesting sounding ones, but it looks like they may be gone forever. As much as I'll miss that, small loading times and seamless transitions are a good thing.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
You know what I'm going to miss with this seamless loading? I loved the names they gave the individual areas when you went to a new screen. Each one was different and a lot were creative. Like Betwixt and Between, Cavern of Remembrance, Avenue to Dreams, or Memory's Scyscraper. There were so many interesting sounding ones, but it looks like they may be gone forever. As much as I'll miss that, small loading times and seamless transitions are a good thing.
If I might take a wild guess I'd say the different areas will still have their individual names like i.e. Fountain Court in Radiant Garden.
The only difference will be that players can only see the name when they go into the main menu. So far it has been always so that the name of the current area is shown in one corner of the main menu.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
If I might take a wild guess I'd say the different areas will still have their individual names like i.e. Fountain Court in Radiant Garden.
The only difference will be that players can only see the name when they go into the main menu. So far it has been always so that the name of the current area is shown in one corner of the main menu.
Now that I think about it, given the sheer size of the worlds now, they have to have some form of identification so you're not totally lost, and know where to go (Instead of just having way-points and markers telling you where to go all the time). And they can also display the name of the area for a few seconds once you cross a certain point. So basically the same thing, except without the black loading screen :).
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Cause in previous games there were loading, which meant you continued at the start of the area. KH3 worlds are seemless so if you spend 40 minutes going from one side of the world to the other and die without any checkpoints like in previous games, you just lost those 40 minutes
You know what I'm going to miss with this seamless loading? I loved the names they gave the individual areas when you went to a new screen. Each one was different and a lot were creative. Like Betwixt and Between, Cavern of Remembrance, Avenue to Dreams, or Memory's Scyscraper. There were so many interesting sounding ones, but it looks like they may be gone forever. As much as I'll miss that, small loading times and seamless transitions are a good thing.
If I might take a wild guess I'd say the different areas will still have their individual names like i.e. Fountain Court in Radiant Garden.
The only difference will be that players can only see the name when they go into the main menu. So far it has been always so that the name of the current area is shown in one corner of the main menu.
What Sephiroth says. Plus, they can still have "checkpoints" (the equivalent of KH2's "start at the entrance of the area if you get killed" system) in each little area, even if the world is seamless.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
Cause in previous games there were loading, which meant you continued at the start of the area. KH3 worlds are seemless so if you spend 40 minutes going from one side of the world to the other and die without any checkpoints like in previous games, you just lost those 40 minutes
The same was done while grinding in KH2. Whether it is seamless or not does not really make a difference. If you have 2-3 save points throughout the world, then it is the same. It does not matter if it is one giant seamless room or multiple rooms like in the previous games. It is your own fault for playing 40 minutes without saving to be honest. Most of us should know to save every so often, especially when grinding. Auto-saves are not very reliable or necessary in RPGs.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I personally dislike auto-saving. Sometimes I make progress I didn't really want to make (used up too many items/bought the wrong thing/wasted materials on melding/synthesis), so I will reset my console to make sure those mistakes don't follow me through the rest of the game.
There are also games that autosave you in a place just before a boss or big event where you can't back out so you get stuck in a point where you may be too weak or unprepared or even causes you to miss out on something in the game for the rest of your play through if you didn't do it before reaching a certain point.
If they decide on autosaves, please let it be optional.
I much prefer save spots or being able to save directly from the pause menu. Save spots are a staple of this series at this point, so I feel like they should just keep it. It isn't like they don't already put them in a lot of places. To make it easier on the player in this more seamless world design, they should be located on the map and players should be able to use them as waypoints.
Re: Tetsuya Nomura's Kingdom Hearts 3 Interview with Engadget!
I am also not that big of a fan of Auto Saving. I like to be in control of my saves, and I like the classic Rpg element of it. Saving wherever you want or the game saving occasionally for you seems much less punishing, although I agree, it's much more convenient if you don't play long in each session.
MegaRay
June 17, 2015 @ 08:43 pmOffline