News ► Dengeki Interview with Tetsuya Nomura: Farewell, Reaction Commands

[Chaser]

Dengeki have released another interview with Tetsuya Nomura about Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy VII. He discusses the removal of reaction commands, a series staple since Kingdom Hearts 2, as well as the use of the Kingdom Shader.

Zephyr has translated the article.

Tetsuya Nomura talks about the presence of the Cloud cross-dressing event in the remake of FINAL FANTASY VII. There is no QTE in KINGDOM HEARTS III.

In United States Los Angeles, an exhibition of videogames were held at E3 2015 (Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015). A full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII has been officially announced, and the latest information concerning KINGDOM HEARTS III has been revealed.

As the director of both works, Tetsuya Nomura will be around for us to hear his story and deliver its contents.

FINAL FANTASY VII, Yoshinori Kitase being the producer, Kazushige Nojima the scenario writer, and Tetsuya Nomura being the director held responsible, has been announced to be developed for the PS4. The reveal of “Tangled” has also been announced for KINGDOM HEARTS III. The audience expectations have been heightened.

■ For KINGDOM HEARTS III, I think it is using Real Shader for the worlds.

From around what time did the remake of FINAL FANTASY VII was being undertaken?

It was from last year. Kitase, Nojima, and I just happen to be around at a bad time and gave the name of this announcement. That’s what started the timing.

So it really has just begun. When the full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII was presented at the SCE conference, it was terribly exciting.

I’ve heard from the staff that that FINAL FANTASY is comparably popular to KINGDOM HEARTS overseas. FINAL FANTASY VII has made a similar impact to the announcement of KINGDOM HEARTS III.

When KINGDOM HEARTS III was presented at E3 2013, there was tremendous excitement. This E3, it looks like KINGDOM HEARTS III has been making several updates.

In regards to supplementing the gameplay, we have removed the Reaction Commands in KINGDOM HEARTS III. QTE (Quick Time Event. Actions that execute at the touch of a button according to when it displays on screen) isn’t there anymore. For people who have seen the “flashy” battles in KINGDOM HEARTS II, it felt like there were too many of them when doing these operations.

Are there no longer Reaction Commands in boss battles?

That’s right. While removing the elements of QTE in KINGDOM HEARTS III, being referred to as flashy battles, we are making it more challenging. All actions will be based on good or favorable timing.

In other works that pursue realistic graphics, it seems “Kingdom Shader” is generally accepted overseas.

Since this is a style that is unique to KINGDOM HEARTS, perhaps it is valued.

Due to the amount of information in the graphics, it may have an opposite effect. If the surface of the rocks look realistic in the world of Hercules, it will drift away from it being a Disney World. You also have Rapunzel’s tower that is tightly built in a very high density building, you are not allowed to go in (laughs).

There is too much discomfort there (laughs).

For many of Disney’s animated films, the Kingdom Shader is acceptable. However, depending on the world, the type of shader is going to change. For specific worlds, it will not be allowed apparently. While it is primarily Kingdom Shader-based, I think a realistic shader will come out for those worlds.

■ Everyone’s memories of FINAL FANTASY VII has not been lost.

Returning to the full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII, it just so happens that Cloud crossdressing as a female and Aerith has become a hot topic. It’s the trend around here?

First, in terms of the full remake, I believe there were a lot of reactions. It’s simply because there are opinions about not wanting the content to be changed in order to clean its image but we believe that the HD port version has a smaller difference; just cleaner.

However, we will not be able to answer at this time until a more detailed depiction. As for the episode of the Honeybee inn and for it being lost in everyone’s nostalgic memories, please don’t worry.

What about in regards to Aerith?

Concerning Aerith, because the original FINAL FANTASY VII is an old release in 1997, I think there may be a lot of young people who will be touching it for the first time in the full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII. For such people, the question itself is a spoiler regarding Aerith. So I will not answer (laughs).

Speaking of the minigames in FINAL FANTASY VII, there were many of them and what are your thoughts about that?

The minigames are being proceeded into full-fledged production although not necessarily attached yet. Since it was already proposed by the production team, it’s a stage that was confirmed in planning.

For KINGDOM HEARTS III, the minigame production has already been started. Several things are in a state that can be simply played alone. There is likely a lot of minigames in KINGDOM HEARTS III. For FINAL FANTASY VII, it is still in the stages of planning. 

 

[BEASTENDER]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

I'm the only one who will miss them anyway lol Even though I have no idea what's being said with that translation (Edit: the old one). I would have loved for them to be like XV's parry system. You press a button at the right time, and you perform a nice looking counterattack. But I mean, things like the Big Thunder Mountain Attraction Flow look just like one big reaction command ...the bad kind that people don't like, and me either for that matter (And I'm talking about the E3 2015 trailer, as it looks like you can't fully control the train, or the ship really). So I'm not sure just how "gone" they are.

In any case, If you have to have proper and skillful timing (like some commands in KH2 and in XV's combat system), it wouldn't be, "spam triangle to win" as people say (I personally don't know a single person who played that way though....and I still say there's no real room to talk; Especially when later installments were literally, spam X or square to win, as basic keyblade combat was pathetic and useless. And don't even get me started on the invincibility and spammability of shotlock and flowmotion attacks).

 

[Launchpad]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

Eh... Similar to any KH character, reaction commands will never truly die. They live on in Attraction Flow.

 

[MasterZero]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

So no more Reaction Commands? I actually kind of liked them in KH2.

 

[Precursor Mar]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

Eh... Similar to any KH character, reaction commands will never truly die. They live on in Attraction Flow.

Exactly. Attraction Flow is an evolution of the reaction commands. The Thunder Mountain train in the D23 trailer, for example, looked very similar to the Pegasus reaction command against the Hydra.

 

[Mavxo]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

I really hope the game has more strategy then previous KH. Like more sneak missions and just overall more strategy. But with all these new battle fuctions it looks like it's gonna be even more of a spam attraction flow/keyblade transformations/new attacks to win

 

[Chaser]

Re: Quick Time Events Will Not be in KH3

Zephyr's got some of the translation done already.

Tetsuya Nomura talks about the presence of the Cloud cross-dressing event in the remake of FINAL FANTASY VII. There is no QTE in KINGDOM HEARTS III.

In United States Los Angeles, an exhibition of videogames were held at E2 2015 (Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015). A full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII has been officially announced, and the latest information concerning KINGDOM HEARTS III has been revealed.

As the director of both works, Tetsuya Nomura will be around for us to hear his story and deliver its contents.

FINAL FANTASY VII, Yoshinori Kitase being the producer, Kazushige Nojima the scenario writer, and Tetsuya Nomura being the director held responsible, has been announced to be developed for the PS4. The reveal of “Tangled” has also been announced for KINGDOM HEARTS III. The audience expectations have been heightened.

■ For KINGDOM HEARTS III, I think it is using Real Shader for the worlds.

From around what time did the remake of FINAL FANTASY VII was being undertaken?

It was from last year. Kitase, Nojima, and I just happen to be around at a bad time and gave the name of this announcement. That’s what started the timing.

So it really has just begun. When the full remake of FINAL FANTASY VII was presented at the SCE conference, it was terribly exciting.

I’ve heard from the staff that that FINAL FANTASY is comparably popular to KINGDOM HEARTS overseas. FINAL FANTASY VII has made a similar impact to the announcement of KINGDOM HEARTS III.

When KINGDOM HEARTS III was presented at E3 2013, there was tremendous excitement. This E3, it looks like KINGDOM HEARTS III has been making several updates.

In regards to supplementing the gameplay, we have removed the Reaction Commands in KINGDOM HEARTS III. QTE (Quick Time Event. Actions that execute at the touch of a button according to when it displays on screen) isn’t there anymore. For people who have seen the “flashy” battles in KINGDOM HEARTS II, it felt like there were too many of them when doing these operations.

 

[Nazo]

Re: Quick Time Events Will NOT be in KH3

Very good. I do love the RCs in the series, but they're an outdated mechanic. The fact that The Order 1886 was a terribly boring game because it overused those. You don't feel in control, you feel like a viewer. It removes immersion. It worked back when the game was released and it still looks and feels great in the HD ReMIXs but I'm glad they're gone. One of my biggest concerns when seeing that amazing wall run in the new trailer was that it'd be a QTE fest where you're not actually controlling Sora and just pushing buttons. Knowing that you get direct control of that now, is amazing. Can't wait to run up freaking walls and free run and stuff.

 

[Precursor Mar]

Re: Quick Time Events Will NOT be in KH3

Very good. I do love the RCs in the series, but they're an outdated mechanic. The fact that The Order 1886 was a terribly boring game because it overused those.

The Order was a terribly boring game because you spend most of the game not playing, QTE's were the least of it's problems. God of War is filled to the brim with QTE's yet it's one of the Playstation's most popular franchises.

 

[robvandam111]

Re: Quick Time Events Will NOT be in KH3

So that means, no Reaction Button, right?

 

[Nazo]

Re: Quick Time Events Will NOT be in KH3

The Order was a terribly boring game because you spend most of the game not playing, QTE's were the least of it's problems. God of War is filled to the brim with QTE's yet it's one of the Playstation's most popular franchises.

That too, but even in GoW, though the QTE events are flashy and cinematic, it'd be way cooler to actually be the one controlling the action to grapple onto the back of a cyclops rather than tapping the circle button and watching.

 

[Sign]

Full translation is now updated in the OP.

So that means, no Reaction Button, right?

i'm sure there will be many other reasons to spam triangle lol

 

[Nazo]

For many of Disney’s animated films, the Kingdom Shader is acceptable. However, depending on the world, the type of shader is going to change. For specific worlds, it will not be allowed apparently. While it is primarily Kingdom Shader-based, I think a realistic shader will come out for those worlds.

Aw, hell yeah. Looks like the Disney Infinity looking models are a temporary thing after all, if not a result of the Tangled world's art style.

 

[Kingnice92]

I kinda gonna miss reaction commands

 

[Sign]

I'd like to know what worlds he's referring to when talking about this "realistic shader" 8D

 

[Chaser]

Everyone hates reaction commands until they're taken out lol

 

[Precursor Mar]

For many of Disney’s animated films, the Kingdom Shader is acceptable. However, depending on the world, the type of shader is going to change. For specific worlds, it will not be allowed apparently. While it is primarily Kingdom Shader-based, I think a realistic shader will come out for those worlds.

This can only mean one thing...

Port Royal is back boiiiiiiiiiiiis!

 

[srb1a4]

Due to the amount of information in the graphics, it may have an opposite effect. If the surface of the rocks look realistic in the world of Hercules, it will drift away from it being a Disney World.You also have Rapunzel's tower that is tightly built in a very high density building, you are not allowed to go in (laughs).

I think I'm reading this incorrectly but is he saying we are not allowed in Rapunzel's Tower?

 

[BEASTENDER]

Wait..are reaction commands even truly gone? Nomura said, "we are making it more challenging. All actions will be based on good or favorable timing." Reaction Commands didn't totally consist of just mashing a button, and some don't necessarily even qualify as QTE's. While most of them are, Reaction Commands and QTE's aren't one an the same.

I mean, as some of us have stated, Attraction Flow would still count as something of a quick time event, as you lose control and press a button. But like with the teacups, you don't just sit still and mash a button (you have minor control from the looks of it), but you do press a button to attack with it. Reaction Commands against some small enemies were exactly the same. And then there's the Pegasus keyblade transformation. It's almost clear you don't control that, just like with the train or even the ship anymore due to motion sickness (their statement, not mine). Even if the name isn't used anymore, they are still technically there. I mean, Big Magic Mountain is activated during a boss fight, and it doesn't look like you control it at all. And either Sora automatically attacks the titan's hand (which is even worse) or you have to press a button to do that. I'm pretty sure that's what reaction commands basically were.


So despite technicalities, I think he's saying it won't be like the Hydra fight anymore, where for long periods of time you press one button repeatedly. It's pretty much confirmed that reaction command like elements still exist in KH3, via attraction flow.

Edit: Not to mention limits or team attacks (like the one SDG used in the trailer) Either they will all be cinematic like the Pegasus Keybade Transformation (Which I don't see how it's better, as you have zero control), or you will have to press buttons to interact with the other characters. Since it's been confirmed we'll be fighting alongside Disney and FF characters again, I'm positive there will be some sort of team attack with them. And any time you pressed triangle (during summons, limits, etc) it was labeled a reaction command. Now that I think about it, this kind of element is spread out all over the series starting with KH2 on to DDD. And as we have seen, even KH3.

 

[Sign]

Wait..are reaction commands even truly gone? Nomura said, "we are making it more challenging. All actions will be based on good or favorable timing." Reaction Commands didn't totally consist of just mashing a button, and some don't necessarily even qualify as QTE's. While most of them are, Reaction Commands and QTE's aren't one an the same.

I mean, as some of us have stated, Attraction Flow would still count as something of a quick time event, as you lose control and press a button. But like with the teacups, you don't just sit still and mash a button (you have minor control from the looks of it), but you do press a button to attack with it. Reaction Commands against some small enemies were exactly the same. And then there's the Pegasus keyblade transformation. It's almost clear you don't control that, just like with the train or even the ship anymore due to motion sickness (their statement, not mine). Even if the name isn't used anymore, they are still technically there. I mean, Big Magic Mountain is activated during a boss fight, and it doesn't look like you control it at all. And either Sora automatically attacks the titan's hand (which is even worse) or you have to press a button to do that. I'm pretty sure that's what reaction commands basically were.


So despite technicalities, I think he's saying it won't be like the Hydra fight anymore, where for long periods of time you press one button repeatedly. It's pretty much confirmed that reaction command like elements still exist in KH3, via attraction flow.

When KINGDOM HEARTS III was presented at E3 2013, there was tremendous excitement. This E3, it looks like KINGDOM HEARTS III has been making several updates.

In regards to supplementing the gameplay, we have removed the Reaction Commands in KINGDOM HEARTS III. QTE (Quick Time Event. Actions that execute at the touch of a button according to when it displays on screen) isn’t there anymore. For people who have seen the “flashy” battles in KINGDOM HEARTS II, it felt like there were too many of them when doing these operations.

I thought he was pretty clear here?