Official Nintendo Magazine and KH3

[Chaser]

Bill Diskin did say he thought it was going to be released on the Wii U, but that could have been just a personal idea or they told him they needed him again for a role.

Ben Diskin only said that because of all the console hopping. Wii U has not been confirmed, and Mr. Diskin has not been contacted for another game yet..

+ Apparently, more powerful or equal as the PlayStation 3.
​

Isn't that what they said about the Wii?

Also;

=/
+ High-Definition graphics.
+ Apparently, more powerful or equal as the PlayStation 3.
+ You can play with the Wiimote, Wii U Pad or a controller resembling the PS3's.
+ The PS3 will start to die in a year; KH3 will take more than two years.
​

KINGDOM HEARTS II was released the same year the PS3 was released, so the console didn't start dying just yet. '_'

A little contradicting don't you think?

 

[soraalam1]

I hope its not on the Wii-U. The main KH games are just synonymous with the PlayStation home console (and controller), it would feel odd playing it on another platform for me :S

 

[Key Wielder]

As was said earlier, systems don't die simply because a successor has been released; that is especially true now with things like firmware updates available. The system is able to grow with the games to some extent.

If that was the attitude of the KH team, then all of the KH games would have been on consoles. Nomura already knows that people are anxious and getting impatient for KH3's release, and developing for a console they know how to develop for would make the game come out faster. Besides, if people say the Wii-U is at the level of the PS3/360, then why learn how to develop for it when they could get the same result on the PS3/360, one of which they already know how to develop for?

I have to agree with this as well. The team has been working on Versus, and with how long that is taking, they have a great deal of practice working with the PS3 and Xbox at this point. It just makes sense that it wouldn't be a WiiU exclusive but, at the very least, multiplatform if it were heading for a Nintendo home console.

 

[theirlosthearts]

KH2 was released on the PS2 during its last full year. You need to understand systems dont die when new systems are released (Outside of Xbox). Look at the PS2 it lasted a good 2-3 years after the PS3 released before it stopped having games released on it. The PS3 isnt about to die especially when it is arguably going to technically still be the best system after the Wii U releases. Its far ahead of its competition and I wouldnt even think of seeing a PS4 released for a good 2-3 more years. Dont get me wrong itll be announced either next E3 or the year after at E3 but the PS3 is at its peak right now. So I expect it to come to PS3 undoubtedly but it could also possibly go to the WiiU, but honestly why? The Wii U wasnt made for games like Kingdom Hearts, but I do see that Nintendo is trying to get hardcore gamers back to there systems I just dont see it. Sorry but Id much rather play AC3 or Batman Arkham City on my PS3 or Xbox 360 then have to buy the WiiU and play the sam game there.

I don't think the PS3 will be outdated when KH3 comes out. But yes, you're right, if KH3 comes out ten years from now (good god, I hope not), then yes, don't put it on the PS3.

One of the points of the OP was that the KH team was busy on "other things" atm and won't start working on KH3 for a while. Give time for Versus, maybe a year or two, or more. Then KH3 takes a year, or more, to develop. It could be a while.

Y'all do understand that my statement was completely hypothetical and therefore not intended to to be 100% accurate, right?

If that was the attitude of the KH team, then all of the KH games would have been on consoles.

Part of the reason for handhelds was that Nomura wanted to do something on whatever system. It was about what he thought was best; ie, your idea of quality may not necessarily be the same as his view of quality, and he's the boss. His vision for a specific game may not always fit a console, so quality is a rather relative subject in this regard.

Nomura already knows that people are anxious and getting impatient for KH3's release, and developing for a console they know how to develop for would make the game come out faster. Besides, if people say the Wii-U is at the level of the PS3/360, then why learn how to develop for it when they could get the same result on the PS3/360, one of which they already know how to develop for?

People have been impatient for KH3 sine KH2's release. Why would he suddenly care now? Besides, the Wii U is supposedly going to be better than the PS3/360.

A little contradicting don't you think?

Thank you.

 

[Magnum]

I hope its not on the Wii-U. The main KH games are just synonymous with the PlayStation home console (and controller), it would feel odd playing it on another platform for me :S

That's what the Wii U Pro Controller is for. Multi-platform is the direction I think the next one should go so everyone will stop complaining about it being a PlayStation exclusive and et cetera. Then everyone could be happy, but I doubt it.

 

[Vəntus]

The PS3 will start to die in a year; KH3 will take more than two years.

The PS2 is still going strong...

As long as it's released on a Playstation console, even the PS4, I'm okay.

 

[D.D.D]

One of the points of the OP was that the KH team was busy on "other things" atm and won't start working on KH3 for a while. Give time for Versus, maybe a year or two, or more. Then KH3 takes a year, or more, to develop. It could be a while.

Y'all do understand that my statement was completely hypothetical and therefore not intended to to be 100% accurate, right?

My point was even though KH3 might release at a time when the PS3 is getting past its prime, doesn't mean that it won't be on it. The thing is that I think people are assuming that the PS4 is coming way too soon. I'd say we have about 2-3 years before the PS4 is released.
Let's say Versus takes another year to be released. This'll be August 2013. Then KH3 takes about one to two years to develop. That'll be about August 2014 to August 2015. The PS3 will still be up and running at that time, I'm pretty sure.

It'll be a longer wait time if they decide, "Oh, let's just throw away what we learned and take another year to learn a new console's workings and make KH3 come out even later.".

Part of the reason for handhelds was that Nomura wanted to do something on whatever system. It was about what he thought was best; ie, your idea of quality may not necessarily be the same as his view of quality, and he's the boss. His vision for a specific game may not always fit a console, so quality is a rather relative subject in this regard.
People have been impatient for KH3 sine KH2's release. Why would he suddenly care now? Besides, the Wii U is supposedly going to be better than the PS3/360.

Has he ever said why he put them on so many handhelds? I'm not quite sure. Do you have a link to an interview, not to be a pest or anything, I just want proof.

Just because a game is on a handheld doesn't mean it's a pile of crap. I already know this. This is why I've, on many different sites, ensured angry raving fans that most of the handhelds are great.

My point about quality was referring to graphics only. Not story, gameplay, or anything else. Just graphics.

On your last point, you ask, "Why would he care now?". He has been. In interviews when people ask him about KH3, he's like, "I know, I know, the team is working on Versus right now. Please be patient.". That's why he's released many other games in the meantime, to make sure that fans aren't empty handed while waiting. If your argument that he doesn't care about the wait was true, then he wouldn't have made the handhelds and would have just let us be gameless while Versus was in the works.

My entire original point was that KH3 most likely would not be released on the Wii-U because of these reasons:

1. The main KH team already is learning PS3 mechanics and development.
2. More people would have PS3's at about the time of what I estimate to be KH3's release, because if the PS4 is brand spanking new, then not as many people would have one, same as the Wii-U (I'm not entirely sure on its release date).
3. The main titles have been on Sony consoles.
4. The Wii-U is estimated to have the same graphical quality as the PS3/360, so what's the point if the PS3 can handle it just as well?

 

[Vanitas666]

KH III has to be on a playstation platform but I don't mind it going multiplatform. however, if it's not released on the PS3, which looks less and less likely, then I don't think it will be released for the Wii U either seeing how it isn't that much stronger then the PS3 and PS4 will be a lot more powerful then.

 

[theirlosthearts]

My point was even though KH3 might release at a time when the PS3 is getting past its prime, doesn't mean that it won't be on it. The thing is that I think people are assuming that the PS4 is coming way too soon. I'd say we have about 2-3 years before the PS4 is released.
Let's say Versus takes another year to be released. This'll be August 2013. Then KH3 takes about one to two years to develop. That'll be about August 2014 to August 2015. The PS3 will still be up and running at that time, I'm pretty sure.

What do you not understand about a "hypothetical situation"? I am completely aware of those facts, I'm just asking that if the unexpected happens (nooo, that never happens), what then? Your posts explaining how my hypothetical situation was not realistic didn't tell me anything I didn't know.

It'll be a longer wait time if they decide, "Oh, let's just throw away what we learned and take another year to learn a new console's workings and make KH3 come out even later.".

Again, tell me something I don't know. Just a hypothetical situation.

Has he ever said why he put them on so many handhelds? I'm not quite sure. Do you have a link to an interview, not to be a pest or anything, I just want proof.

Sorry, but due to my internet restrictions, no. I was just basing it off my memories of different interviews and not a specific interview anyway.

Just because a game is on a handheld doesn't mean it's a pile of crap. I already know this. This is why I've, on many different sites, ensured angry raving fans that most of the handhelds are great.

My point about quality was referring to graphics only. Not story, gameplay, or anything else. Just graphics.

Ohh, okay. It seemed that you meant overall quality, my apologies.

On your last point, you ask, "Why would he care now?". He has been. In interviews when people ask him about KH3, he's like, "I know, I know, the team is working on Versus right now. Please be patient.". That's why he's released many other games in the meantime, to make sure that fans aren't empty handed while waiting. If your argument that he doesn't care about the wait was true, then he wouldn't have made the handhelds and would have just let us be gameless while Versus was in the works.

I miscommunicated. I meant rather that he would not suddenly have a huge problem with making the fans wait, not that he doesn't care at all.

My entire original point was that KH3 most likely would not be released on the Wii-U because of these reasons:

1. The main KH team already is learning PS3 mechanics and development.
2. More people would have PS3's at about the time of what I estimate to be KH3's release, because if the PS4 is brand spanking new, then not as many people would have one, same as the Wii-U (I'm not entirely sure on its release date).
3. The main titles have been on Sony consoles.
4. The Wii-U is estimated to have the same graphical quality as the PS3/360, so what's the point if the PS3 can handle it just as well?

Did I say I expected KH3 to be on Wii U? No, I didn't. I said I would like the Wii U and my hypothetical situation was created with the previous posters who wanted the Wii U in mind. I agree that the PS3 is the most likely console for KH3.

 

[Arkrend]

I'm just going to go ahead, and clear a few things up. These are common misconceptions about game development so don't feel bad.

Like I said before in another thread, having KH3 on a console other than the PS3 (unless it's multiplatform) would render the main KH's team's learning of how to make games with the PS3 useless.

This isn't how game development works.

Every single console game you've played was ported, from the PC. Game's are ported to consoles using a devkit. That's all "experience with the PS3" is. It's just experience using the piss poor devkit they made for the PS3.

If learning a new devkit is too hard for Square's developers to do then they shouldn't be working in the game industry. Especially a game industry where console exclusivity went extinct years ago.

Also, Square Enix moves people around to different teams after every project. People who just spent two years developing a game for PS3 are moved to a different team to develop a game for the 3DS.

The team member's aren't exactly consistent. This is true for any game studio making more than one game at a time.

Let's say Versus takes another year to be released. This'll be August 2013. Then KH3 takes about one to two years to develop. That'll be about August 2014 to August 2015. The PS3 will still be up and running at that time, I'm pretty sure.

Nope.

PS3, and Xbox 360 don't have much time left in them. Various publishers have already started moving their teams to start making game engine's meant for the next generation of consoles, Wii U and the other unnamed consoles. These are the same publishers that have pretty much been keeping those consoles alive these past few years.

Epic Games has already unveiled their next gen engine, and has displayed various tech demos of the improved particle systems, lighting, poly count, textures, ect.

2015 is when the PS3 will be in its purgatory state where the occasional title might be ported to the PS3. the Wii U is coming out this year.

By 2015 the Wii U will have already bee out for three years.

Sony and Microsoft have already made it painfully obvious they're working on their next gen consoles, and have given a lot of hints of a late 2013/early 2014 release.

1. The main KH team already is learning PS3 mechanics and development.

No such thing. There's no such thing as "PS3 development". They know how to use the PS3 devkit. When they're working on a PS3 game. Who knows what platforms various team members were developing for right before they were put on the 1st production team. not that it's relevant since game development doesn't work the way people think it does.

2. More people would have PS3's at about the time of what I estimate to be KH3's release, because if the PS4 is brand spanking new, then not as many people would have one, same as the Wii-U (I'm not entirely sure on its release date).

Wii U = 2012.

PS3 = 2013/early 2014? The most likely business move will be for Sony to announce the next Play Station console during E3 2013, and release it during the 2013 holiday season.

3. The main titles have been on Sony consoles.

Well considering Dream Drop Distance is a main title... and considering Square is not longer exclusively Sony...

4. The Wii-U is estimated to have the same graphical quality as the PS3/360, so what's the point if the PS3 can handle it just as well?

I doubt a Kingdom Hearts game would ever need very high graphical quality, considering its art style is faded out cell shaded toon style. They really only need a slightly higher poly and pixel count to have "smoother" looking graphics.

And graphics isn't really what the next generation is aiming for anyway. The 7th generation did a good enough job with poly count. Developers are focusing on lighting, particle systems, AI, etc.

Developers are focusing less on making games look pretty, and more on games feeling "big" and "flashy" in things other than the character models.

Versus will hopefully be done with in 2013. That means KH3 will likely be done by around 2015.

With that release date it's likely that it'll be out for 8th generation consoles, and maybe be ported to PS3 as well.

 

[D.D.D]

This isn't how game development works.

Every single console game you've played was ported, from the PC. Game's are ported to consoles using a devkit. That's all "experience with the PS3" is. It's just experience using the piss poor devkit they made for the PS3.

If learning a new devkit is too hard for Square's developers to do then they shouldn't be working in the game industry. Especially a game industry where console exclusivity went extinct years ago.

Also, Square Enix moves people around to different teams after every project. People who just spent two years developing a game for PS3 are moved to a different team to develop a game for the 3DS.

The team member's aren't exactly consistent. This is true for any game studio making more than one game at a time.

Even if learning the "piss poor" devkit for the PS3 doesn't count for much of the development time, it still would make KH3 come out faster, even if it's just slightly, than if they had to learn how to handle a Wii-U's devkit. I never said that it was too hard for the SE team, either, I only said that it would go faster if they used the knowledge they've already gained. You can't argue against that. It's evident in everything; you're almost always going to make things faster if you've used the tools and worked with them before.

You're second point about the team moving around makes sense, but even so, SE is still probably going to want to keep most of the PS3 experienced workers on a new PS3 project to make it go faster and be higher quality. Having people learn new things=slower=more money spent on development (wages, etc... normal costs) and the end result out later than it could have been.

No such thing. There's no such thing as "PS3 development". They know how to use the PS3 devkit. When they're working on a PS3 game. Who knows what platforms various team members were developing for right before they were put on the 1st production team. not that it's relevant since game development doesn't work the way people think it does.

To your second sentence, I assumed I could count any part of the creation process as PS3 development, even though a lot of it might be done by computer, they're still developing it for the PS3. And there are slight graphical differences between consoles, such as what kind of lighting it can handle and how much detail it can handle, correct? Or how sharp or how much contrast or how much activity the system can handle at once, yes? There are still slight differences in the computer development for different systems, right? There's still time taken to fine tune things and make it work for the system they're planning on, correct?

Thus, if the main KH team already knows how to use the devkit for PS3 after they've had it all done on the computer or during the process, it will still go faster than if they had to learn the Wii-U devkit, because, since it's a newer system, I assume most of them haven't had much experience with it.

What matters is that they will have the devkit understood and will have experience with it once Versus is done and thus it would be efficient for them to use that knowledge on another project. That's all I'm saying.

Well considering Dream Drop Distance is a main title... and considering Square is not longer exclusively Sony...

The only interviews I've read with Nomura concerning whether a certain game is a main title or not, have stated that Kingdom Hearts 1, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Kingdom Hearts:Birth by Sleep (which he said was basically KH0) were the main titles. Not any of the other ones. There may have been a more recent interview I missed concerning 3D with this same question, and maybe he called it KH2.5 or something, but I haven't read it yet and thus do not consider 3D a main title. I think it's just as important as the 'official' main titles, but I haven't read that Nomura stated that it was a main title and so I didn't consider it for my Sony list.

I doubt a Kingdom Hearts game would ever need very high graphical quality, considering its art style is faded out cell shaded toon style. They really only need a slightly higher poly and pixel count to have "smoother" looking graphics.

I never said that it needed higher graphical quality. I meant that, since the Wii-U is estimated to be just as good as the PS3/360 graphics wise, there'd be no reason to have it on the Wii-U rather than the PS3/360 when it comes to graphics.

Like you said, in KH, graphics aren't the highest focus. But if Nomura was to weigh his options if it came to graphics it wouldn't matter since they are at the same level.
I don't think it's impossible for KH3 to be on the Wii-U, I just think it's unlikely. That's it.

Anyways, my original argument was that I personally thought it was most likely for KH3 to be on the PS3 and I gave my reasons why. I really don't want this to turn into a giant argument thread and pointing out how inexperienced I am with game development. We should just probably agree to disagree and leave it at that. I don't want this to ruin the thread for the rest of the members here who want to discuss KH3 on the wii-U and the article itself.

 

[Arkrend]

Even if learning the "piss poor" devkit for the PS3 doesn't count for much of the development time, it still would make KH3 come out faster, even if it's just slightly, than if they had to learn how to handle a Wii-U's devkit. I never said that it was too hard for the SE team, either, I only said that it would go faster if they used the knowledge they've already gained. You can't argue against that. It's evident in everything; you're almost always going to make things faster if you've used the tools and worked with them before.

It's not really worth considering as being part of the development cycle. A lot of studios don't even port their games themselves. They have another studio that the publisher owns do it for them.

To your second sentence, I assumed I could count any part of the creation process as PS3 development, even though a lot of it might be done by computer, they're still developing it for the PS3. And there are slight graphical differences between consoles, such as what kind of lighting it can handle and how much detail it can handle, correct? Or how sharp or how much contrast or how much activity the system can handle at once, yes? There are still slight differences in the computer development for different systems, right? There's still time taken to fine tune things and make it work for the system they're planning on, correct?

The devkit is only used after the game is complete. Things like how detailed things look, etc. can be controlled with the click of a button. It doesn't require much effort. That's why games are released on multiple platforms on the same day release instead of being released on separate release dates.

The only interviews I've read with Nomura concerning whether a certain game is a main title or not, have stated that Kingdom Hearts 1, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Kingdom Hearts:Birth by Sleep (which he said was basically KH0) were the main titles. Not any of the other ones. There may have been a more recent interview I missed concerning 3D with this same question, and maybe he called it KH2.5 or something, but I haven't read it yet and thus do not consider 3D a main title. I think it's just as important as the 'official' main titles, but I haven't read that Nomura stated that it was a main title and so I didn't consider it for my Sony list.

Wasn't there a interview where Nomura said Dream Drop Distance was a main game? I mean the game's entire tagline is even that it's the true sequel to Kingdom Hearts II or whatever. Even though re:Coded is technically the sequel to Kingdom Hearts II since it takes place after II chronologically, Square seems to be putting a lot of effort into telling people that Dream Drop Distance is the real follow up game and people should buy it find out what happens after Kingdom Hearts II.

I don't know where the interview thread went so I can't find the interview where he talks about Dream Drop Distance's status as a main game or as a side game.

Anyways, my original argument was that I personally thought it was most likely for KH3 to be on the PS3 and I gave my reasons why. I really don't want this to turn into a giant argument thread and pointing out how inexperienced I am with game development. We should just probably agree to disagree and leave it at that. I don't want this to ruin the thread for the rest of the members here who want to discuss KH3 on the wii-U and the article itself.

I mainly just trying to clear up misconceptions that a lot of people make about game development.

I'm trying to help people understand its possible for KHIII to be on a console other than the PS3. At this point I personally don't believe there will ever be a Kingdom Hearts III due to poor planning, and organization on Square's end of things. I've been through a lot of dev cycles, seen games come out with demos in only six months, and generally have an idea of when a game's development is going well or not.

There's so many problems with Square's development cycles that it's surprising that they're still making games. At this point Kingdom Hearts III could come out on any console.