Is Nomura's feeling to express his political ideas going to ruin FFXIII?

[Commandie070792]

Recently, people (Directors of games and movies in particular) feel that they must give their opinions about the situations in the world. They talk of it as if they were doing a favor to the people of the world, when really they just piss a bunch of people off. When I sit down to enjoy something like a movie or game, I do not wish to worry about politics, and I am sure that many of you agree with me that entertainment should not bug people and draw many people away from it who have opposing views.

I read the other day on this site that Tetsuya Nomura plans to make his next blockbuster game, Final Fantasy XIII Fabula Nova Crystallis, about the world of today. It is to be a mature look at the world, such as the situations between countries (Probably the big ones like Islamo-Fascist Terror, North Korea's missles, and the hate toward America). This might upset people more than it will be a mature game.

I would not have enjoyed Final Fantasy XII as much as I did if they were to say that "The Archadian Empire is overstretching its reach! They lied about Nadubis having airships of mass destruction, and they destroyed it. We need to put the fascist emperor out of power!". But the reason that that annoys me so much is because I am a conservative. But I would be annoyed too if I had to hear some anology putting down abortion, or fights for weapons so people can defend theirselves.

The fact is that politics will wear anyone out, even political junkies like I am. I hope that no one else will want a Final Fantasy XIII where "The people of Cocoon think their leaders are sealing crystal from the land they just liberated." I hope Nomura will rethink about putting the issues of today in, because I really like Final Fantasy, and I am waiting for another FF to blow me away like X or VII did.

[Sibia]

So you're question is should somebody put their political views into thier work?

Well, isn't that their right should they want to do it? I personally don't see a problem with it, though I might not agree with some of the views they express.

Furthermore in a case like Nomura I should think that since something as huge as FF is not the creation of him alone, such things should be discussed and decided upon by Nomura and the project leaders. What they decide upon is really none of our concern; if we don't like it, we don't have to buy it.

Sure there may be some people who use their position in the public spotlight to promote particular political views or infulence government policy, but isn't that what democracy is all about?

[Ex Deo]

I can understand what your beef with injecting political rhetoric into media is, and to an extent I don't like it either, but at the same time, doing so can occasionally help create an incredibly powerful work of art.

It really goes both ways; if done well, it can make a film, book, or even videogame even better. But if it's done poorly and the audience feels as if they're being bashed over the head with someone's political or philosophical ideas, then it will ruin the product.

With that said, however, it's next to impossible to really create anything like this completely objective. Whenever we write, paint, record or whatever, we're putting a piece of ourselves into our work, and it's going to show, at least a little bit.

[The Man]

I don't have a problem with putting political commentary into media, as long as it's done effectively. I highly doubt that there will be explicit commentary on any current world situations, anyway; more likely, any commentary on modern politics will be allegorical.

[Ragnarok]

I don't think Nomura would even have a shot at expressing his political views without having a talk with one of the corporate heads and others directors. "Who cares about your opinion!", they would say," just give us a nice juicy profit!"

So far none of the FF games have had any hint of the politics of the day. I like politics to have an eefect in the game such as that via Final Fantasy XII which makes for an interesting story.

[King Hydro]

politics is just a title given to a larger sccale, group-lead version of our opinions.
Someone may be conservative, but not agree with everything the conservative party say. Thats individualism for you.
As far as putting someones spec. on the world of today in to their work... I think FFXIII will be more about the game itself than any other issues.

I read something saying that FFXIII will be set in a similar world to that of the film Equilibrium. A controlling government/empire, fear stirrs in the heart of any who bad-mouth the governments leadership etc etc.

As mentioned previously in the post, if we dont like it we dont have to buy it. Just because we likee FF doesnt mean we must buy every game
You've got no need to be concrened, IMO.

[I run with scissors]

i know that politics play an important part in life whether we like it or not but.....
When i play a final fantasy game i want it to have a fantasy story.
Thats where ff12 storyline was weak. Too much politics not enough fantasy

in my opinion ff10 had a much better storyline but an awful combat system.

Keep the battle style but change the stories.

[gointerceptor]

theres a reason its called final "fantasy" and not fox news the game

[Lady Lamont]

Well Nomura and the development divisions wouldn't be doing what they did with VIII - had President Vinzer Deiling (called a Dictator within the game) - looked suspiciously like a certain President in the other scenes before the render was cleaned up in Deiling's Broadcast where Edea was introduced, not to mention a horrible Instructor in Balamb Garden called Instructor Aki that also looked suspiciously like Hitler...

I think that they'll try to make it semi-realistic but without the type of politics of the events of today. I think Nomura and the divisions will most likely change their minds after looking at the details and remembering what they did with VIII...

But with some sections of the worlds in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series the development of their worlds' seem to be based more off our own with fantasy and sci-fi elements added but to the side of America's sales going down for Square-Enix - overtaken by Europe and Australasia there is the possibility of some references being made but preferably not much other than some similar twists to events that may have happened which as a result could turn out to be somewhat similar to VII.

Overall from all of the released information (to the public and from what some of the SQEX guys have hinted), the politics would probably be on the same levels as VII or VIII - not as much as XII but still elements of it.

Like in VII with ShinRa's various events or VIII which had the section against the Galbadian Republic and people fearing the main powers - Galbadia and Esthar, even the section which involved the political jail/prison and the missile base scenario (sound familiar to some events today?). Either way, you're not forced to buy the games but personally I wouldn't doubt it if a lot of things changed including the whole take on politics within the series before the final version is released. To the side that there is always some sort of small event that is happening today that is referenced in the Final Fantasy series even if it has been modified to hell it can still be recognized in most cases.

[Pokeman Extreme]

The tenth installment had religious commentary, how is this different?

[Aebrax]

Just how overt are we talking about?

The majority of the fanbase is going to just enjoy the game and buy it on hype anyway, so it's not going to damage Final Fantasy as a product.

As for damaging Final Fantasy XIII as a game experience, if you're focusing on how it's to model how the creater of the game sees the world enough to have a problem with it, you are as they say on some parts of the internet "doing it wrong". It's a Final Fantasy game, it's not going to be an exact copy of world events with magical women and swords and chocobos. If you are analyzing it that much maybe you are playing for the wrong reason to begin with; you're not willing to be entertained when you are focusing on someone's politics.

That is, unless it is overt with how it's all some guy's manifesto and meant to be obvious to everybody they know are going to play it. That is a bad game.

Above all at this point keep an open mind at least. You haven't played it yet, it isn't released yet. Give it a chance, it's Final Fantasy...you're on a Final Fantasy forum so you obviously enjoy it. Give yourself a chance to enjoy it before talking about how damaging it will be.