Square Enix's team for Final Fantasy XV took the time to answer some questions from users on the official forums, particularly about Altissia, battle modes and warp points.
Back in September 2015, the game developer released "Dawn 2.0," a trailer that showed more of Noctis and Luna. It was a good treat to fans everywhere who wanted to know more of what's in store for them.
Now, it seems that the team is more than willing to keep the good news flowing, giving out details that everybody has been waiting for.
Altissia
Question
How much of the big cities like Altissia/Insomnia will we be able to explore?
Answer
"Altissia has many and varied locations, such as multiple cafes, ship-bourne market places and parks etc.," Ishikawa Tomonori, planner, says.
Tomonori continues to say that the city is so huge that even the people working on the game find themselves lost in the place sometimes. While it's pretty much expected that players will be able to walk freely around the city, the game planner says that they can also ride gondolas to take a good look at the views and visit restaurants where "added enjoyment" can be had.
What's more, there's a chance that players will run into unique characters when roaming the streets and corners of Altissia, which means that a mix of patience and curiosity will turn up a lot of surprises for them.
Battle Modes
Question
How will the difficulty modes compare in terms of XP gain, enemy stats, damage and A.I?
Answer
"The equivalent to difficulty level settings in FFXV is a system where you can switch between different battle modes," Takizawa Masashi, lead game designer, says.
Masashi notes that the switchable modes will allow players of all kinds, including those who prefer action-packed and technical combats and those who'd rather go in a slower and more casual pace, can enjoy battles in their own terms.
The game designer also remarks that the switching system is based on the feedback the team received from the Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae demo.
Warp Points
Question
Will large buildings have multiple warp points to allow Noctis to scale and explore rooftops?
Answer
"Why of course they will!" Terada Takefumi, lead level designer, says.
Considering how large the battles over urban terrain are going to be, Takefumi says that numerous warp points can be used strategically to gain the upper hand and that the ability is essential to the combat system of Final Fantasy XV.
To top it off, the devs also added aerial combat with flying adversaries and gigantic bosses.
Release Date
Final Fantasy XV is expected to roll out sometime in 2016, and Game Director Hajime Tabata backed up the statement.
"We will finally release FFXV this year, in 2016! In development, previous phases required wisdom and strength. However, moving forward the final phase will focus on effort and willpower," he says.
Square Enix has yet to announce a specific release date, but it has been confirmed that the game won't go official before March 2016.
With so many years put in Final Fantasy XV, it won't be surprising to see a well-polished and feature-packed game.
"We will do everything we can do to finish FFXV to create an experience we are incredibly proud of and one that you will enjoy and treasure," Tabata continues, reassuring gamers about the quality.
On an optimistic note, we will finally be able to immerse ourselves into yet another Final Fantasy world in just a few months' time.
