SE should make a new pre-rendered FMV cinematic for Version 2.0.

[Murugan]

Well actually, they both have the potential to be impressive and generate publicity, but a pre-rendered cinematic more so than a video that utilizes the in-game engine. There's a reason Blizzard makes a new cinematic for every expansion pack they release for WoW. Pre-rendered footage just flat out looks more impressive than in-game footage, and as such it works better for promotional purposes.

Not really, WoW is generating hype for an already popular game. FFXIV has to convince people that the game has improved.

Some pre-rendered cutscene does not do that.

[HokSeven]

I would like a new intro also, but I would rather the trailer they show at E3 to be in-game footage that impresses. That is what this game needs more to get positive publicity. A new pre-rendered scene will not help in that regard one bit.

This.

While the OP is right about the need for a new FMV it should not be what is shown at E3, period. E3 have to show in-game stuff. But leave that to SE, I'm sure they know what they are doing.

About the new FMV, yes it must be done. Mainly cause the previous was focused on Leves, while the game is not anymore. Perhaps an FMV that shows what'll happen to Eorzea?

[Rau]

If they showed a CGI trailer at e3 people will just laugh, it will be v1 release all over again, with a trailer that had less than 5 seconds of gameplay out of the 5 min trailer? lol

SE need to show gameplay, they need to show ingame cinematic and show off their NEW ENGINE and NEW MECHANICS not "oo look at our pretty cgi", SE is good at that, they've made movies from it, we dont need that.

On release sure have one then, but for an advertising combat trailer? no.

Should be a mix of both. CGI for lore/story, and then flash to ingame battles, animation, scenery, etc.

[Rhianu]

No one's saying that SE shouldn't release any info about new gameplay mechanics, because obviously they should. But they should make a new pre-rendered FMV as well, so that critics and the general public have some kind of amazing visual imagery to associate with all the cool new changes to the gameplay.

After all, people generally don't buy anything based on intellectual facts or statistics, they buy based on emotion, and then justify with logic afterwards. Information about gameplay changes and improvements provides the logic side of things, but not the emotion. To get new customers interested in the product and convince them to buy, the product needs to evoke an emotional response in the consumer. For video games, that means eye candy.

Not really, WoW is generating hype for an already popular game. FFXIV has to convince people that the game has improved.

Some pre-rendered cutscene does not do that.

Yes, SE needs to convince people that the game has improved, but they also need to generate hype as well. A pre-rendered cinematic generates hype better than a trailer with in-game graphics.

Should be a mix of both. CGI for lore/story, and then flash to ingame battles, animation, scenery, etc.

For the E3 trailer, sure. But I'm talking about more than just what SE is going to show at E3. I'm talking about creating a new opening cutscene, not just a trailer. Remember, during the original launch SE also showed this trailer using in-game footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNFXMbrn1o8

So a promotional trailer that uses in-game graphics is certainly something that is needed, it should not be considered a substitute or replacement for a totally new opening movie with pre-rendered CGI.

[Murugan]

Yes, SE needs to convince people that the game has improved, but they also need to generate hype as well. A pre-rendered cinematic generates hype better than a trailer with in-game graphics.

You can't hype something that people are convinced is terrible. People would laugh at them if they showed up to E3 with nothing but some new cinematic. That would be a wasted opportunity.

[viion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNFXMbrn1o8

Count the amount of seconds that video shows Gameplay (not cutscenes).

If they have playable demos it might be OK, but that hyped XIV way more than it should which makes its launch a bigger failure than it should have been.

As I doubt we will get demo at e3 as it only says trailer, they have to show a lot more than a couple seconds of non ui'd gameplay.

[Rhianu]

There's no such thing as too much hype. The original dev team should have just lived up to people's expectations. But that's all the past now, so there's no use dwelling on it.

And honestly, most game trailers generally don't show footage with the UI or HUD turned on, so that's not really something we need to see in the trailer. We already know what the UI for Version 2.0 is going to look like, anyway. It's not important.

You can't hype something that people are convinced is terrible. People would laugh at them if they showed up to E3 with nothing but some new cinematic. That would be a wasted opportunity.

What are you talking about? Developers show up to E3 with nothing but a trailer all the time. It's not the least bit uncommon. Besides, I think you're forgetting that new information is still going to be released here in the forums as well as on The Lodestone. It's not like when the game was still in development and the only info we ever got was at conventions or in magazines.

[viion]

What are you talking about? Developers show up to E3 with nothing but a trailer all the time. It's not the least bit uncommon. Besides, I think you're forgetting that new information is still going to be released here in the forums as well as on The Lodestone. It's not like when the game was still in development and the only info we ever got was at conventions or in magazines.

They don't bring with them a title that just notoriously failed.

I think you're forgetting the media and community outside the game still laugh and use XIV as a example of failure and we know its not alone, other games have, but XIV is well known for it.

A flashy CGI trailer that even free MMOs do, is not going to prove to anyone that its back on track and going to be better. Look at the current one, XIV's Cinematic is epic, but the game doesn't live up to that in anyway.

[Murugan]

There's no such thing as too much hype. The original dev team should have just lived up to people's expectations. But that's all the past now, so there's no use dwelling on it.

And honestly, most game trailers generally don't show footage with the UI or HUD turned on, so that's not really something we need to see in the trailer. We already know what the UI for Version 2.0 is going to look like, anyway. It's not important.


What are you talking about? Developers show up to E3 with nothing but a trailer all the time. It's not the least bit uncommon. Besides, I think you're forgetting that new information is still going to be released here in the forums as well as on The Lodestone. It's not like when the game was still in development and the only info we ever got was at conventions or in magazines.

People advertising a new game do that, not people advertising a relaunch of a game that failed. The trailer should have in-game footage to demonstrate the difference between 2.0 and launch. Otherwise what is the point of showing a trailer? People aren't going to get hyped for the game again, not just because you show a scene of a child walking past Ishgard or something similar.

The game already released once, people won't be fooled by a cinematic alone.

[Rhianu]

[...] the media and community outside the game still laugh and use XIV as a example of failure and we know its not alone, other games have, but XIV is well known for it.

Certainly, that's absolutely true, and I'm not saying that SE shouldn't present any new info at E3. I'm just saying that they shouldn't forget just how much hype a new pre-rendered FMV would generate.

People advertising a new game do that, not people advertising a relaunch of a game that failed. The trailer should have in-game footage to demonstrate the difference between 2.0 and launch. Otherwise what is the point of showing a trailer? People aren't going to get hyped for the game again, not just because you show a scene of a child walking past Ishgard or something similar.

The game already released once, people won't be fooled by a cinematic alone.

Relaunching and old game is no different from launching a new game. In fact, convincing the public that Version 2.0 actually is a totally new game is essentially what SE will have to do as they ramp up for the relaunch of FFXIV.

Also, you're drastically underestimating the emotional power of an exciting, action-packed cinematic. And yes, such cinematics do generate hype. This is because they evoke an emotional response from the viewer, something that info about gameplay can't do. The info still needs to be available, of course, but at the same time we should recognize the fact that info about gameplay changes doesn't get anyone excited except people who are already playing the game. If SE wants to spark the interest of potential customers and reel in new people, they need to give those people something they can understand and relate to. A new opening cutscene is the perfect thing for that.

It's not about fooling anyone, it's about grabbing people's attention, sparking their interest, and generating hype.

If SE wants to make a trailer that showcases gameplay and in-game footage, that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact it's a good thing. But it should be done in addition to a new opening cutscene, not instead of it.