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[NintendoReport]

From http://iwataasks.nin...ronicles-3d/0/0

 

 
Interview has the following sections:
 

 

• 
  
• We want to make a JRPG masterpiece
• The moon rock heartbreak
• Burning bridges
• Just do it
• It would be a shame to pass it up

 

Today I will be asking about Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, which will be exclusively playable on the New Nintendo 3DS XL system. In the case of common RPGs, it's not unusual for them to sell like hot cakes right after release, only for sales to decline soon after. However, when the original to this game, Xenoblade Chronicles¹ for Wii was released five years ago in Japan, and because of the way the game was designed with an impressive attention to detail, word of mouth started to spread. Now Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is coming to the New Nintendo 3DS XL system. So we'd like to ask Monolith Soft's²Takahashi-san just what type of game Xenoblade Chronicles is. Thanks for talking with us today, Takahashi-san.

 

Please read at above link, great interview!!

This is great!
 

Iwata
People said things like "I could stay in that world forever," or "I don't want it to end," even though they'd been playing for over 100 hours.

4. Played for over 100 hours: The time counter for the Wii version of Xenoblade Chronicles was set to stop at 99 hours and 59 minutes, but the version for the New Nintendo 3DS XL can support a time display past 100 hours. (Up to 999 hours and 59 minutes.)The upcoming game Xenoblade Chronicles X can support a time display of over 300 hours of play. See the Japanese official Twitter @XenobladeJP for details.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D official site http://xenobladechro...d.nintendo.com/

[Portal]

Huh. I never really thought about maxing out the play time. Pretty neat to see a game so huge the play time counter needs to be upped. I'm glad I plan on getting this in the summer. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else!

[3Dude]

This is quite literally, one of the greatest things I have seen concerning game design on jrpg's. I just wish it didnt take over two generations of mostly wasted time for it to be realized.

The vindication of hearing Takahashi say the things I've been saying for over a decade now is cathartic.

Greatest Iwata asks ever.

[NintendoReport]

Found this bit fantastic too. Basically Iwata was concerned about it not porting well or having issues but was delighted and amazed when the work was done and how it matched the feel of playing the original version all except for the lower resolution on the n3dsxl.

 

" 

 

Iwata

We were able to do it on the New Nintendo 3DS XL because of the power it packs. Of course it was tricky to port over. There was a period when things were really unsure, like, "We can probably do it, but we're not sure when it will be finished." But they managed it, and I was really astounded when I saw it working. I thought, "The world moves just the same!"

Takahashi

I was really shocked. I thought, "It's not at all inferior to the Wii version."

Iwata

If anything, it's only the resolution.

Takahashi

True.

Iwata

But otherwise, it's really got everything.

Takahashi

It really is amazing. The other thing I thought was...when we made Xenoblade Chronicles for the Wii console, we never even thought about putting it on a portable device.

Iwata

Of course not.

Takahashi

But now we can play Xenoblade Chronicles on the New Nintendo 3DS XL, and...now, this may sound a little egotistical, but I thought, "This is really going to raise the bar for RPGs on portable devices." (laughs)

 

"

[YoshiGamer9]

How come Xenoblade Chronicles X will have a smaller counter then?...

[3Dude]

How come Xenoblade Chronicles X will have a smaller counter then?...

Eh? It wont.

He was talking about the hour counter for the save file of the japanese release of the original Xenoblade. It was actually fixed during the localization out west, as my Xenoblade file certainly has more than 99:99 on it.

[YoshiGamer9]

Eh? It wont.

He was talking about the hour counter for the save file of the japanese release of the original Xenoblade. It was actually fixed during the localization out west, as my Xenoblade file certainly has more than 99:99 on it.

 

They said Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will have a time limit of up to 999 hours, while Xenoblade chronicles X will only go up to 300.

[Raiden]

They said Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will have a time limit of up to 999 hours, while Xenoblade chronicles X will only go up to 300.

No. The counter only goes to 999. XCX said completed it in 300. Any RPG I played some of them the counter stops at 999 but you can continue to play all you want. You can beat Xenoblade Chronicles in about 60 hours but would miss a lot of side stuff.  5x times the game in XCX so you get 300.

[YoshiGamer9]

No. The counter only goes to 999. XCX said completed it in 300. Any RPG I played some of them the counter stops at 999 but you can continue to play all you want. You can beat Xenoblade Chronicles in about 60 hours but would miss a lot of side stuff.  5x times the game in XCX so you get 300.

 

Oh that makes sense, thank you.

[Raiden]

http://www.siliconer...enosaga-failed/

[3Dude]

http://www.siliconer...enosaga-failed/

Holy crap those comments are moronic.

[Marcus]

 

Iwata

If anything, it's only the resolution.

 

I assume he means texture resolution there. Isn't the 3DS screen res fairly similar to the wii?

[3Dude]

I assume he means texture resolution there. Isn't the 3DS screen res fairly similar to the wii?

No, he means screen resolution.

The wii is 480p, thats 400x800

The 3ds 240x800 in 3d, and 240x400 in 2d.

[Raiden]

So much of the immersion is lost playing on a 4 inch screen. Scope doesn't feel the same.They really should just bring it to Wii U VC.

[Marcus]

No, he means screen resolution.

The wii is 480p, thats 400x800

The 3ds 240x800 in 3d, and 240x400 in 2d.

 

Oh yeah, right you are. I forgot what 480p meant.

 

Although based on the images I've seen, I think the texture resolution is a bit lower too. 

[Raiden]

 

I NEED THAT SWORD!

[3Dude]

Oh yeah, right you are. I forgot what 480p meant.
 
Although based on the images I've seen, I think the texture resolution is a bit lower too.

Not really, Xenoblade wii had textures that were made to be viewed from a distance, the up close lod had really, really, really bad low res textures. Worse than a lot of og 3ds games.

I think a lot of people are misremembering the game, through a combination of remembering textures from farther away at their optimal viewing distance, and because a considerable amount of images that show up on the google image search are unlabeled from this retextured dolphin mod:



But when you see parts that had yet to be improved...


It really hits home just how low res xenoblades textures really were. And honestly, how do you get lower res than that on a system with over twice the ram (256Mb just counting main ram, vs 88 Mb all the ram on the system), and how would you notice on a down ressed image, that was then a blown up lossy compressed image or stream?

Another thing to remember, is that all screens and video of Xenoblade 3d are from 2d mode, which halves the resolution yet again, and fills in the space by doubling each vertical line, which means you are left with half the texture, stretched out to fill the screen.

[Marcus]

Yeah I realised the original had pretty muddy textures too. It still looks lower res to me though. I played the Wii version fairly recently and there was definitely a noticeable difference in the texturing of the buildings in Colony 9. Not as much with the landscapes though, I guess the tiled textures make that stand out less.

Take an example scene with a predetermined camera. Like where Shulk and Reyn leave Colony 9 and it zooms out backwards from Dunban's window so that you see the side of his house. Compare that on the Wii and 3DS. Looks different to me!